When did the Miami Dolphins change their logo?
The Miami Dolphins unveiled the current dolphin-and-sunburst design on April 25, 2013. It replaced the helmeted dolphin with a streamlined animal swimming upward across the sun. In 2018, the team introduced a darker orange while keeping the same design. That is why the current Dolphins logo is associated with two dates: 2013 for the redesign and 2018 for the color update.
Current Dolphins logo vs. the old logo
New
Old
The easiest way to tell them apart is the helmet. The 1997–2012 Miami Dolphins logo features a dolphin wearing a small football helmet with an M on it. The current logo has no helmet, and the dolphin’s longer body angles up and to the right. Both versions use a dolphin and an orange sunburst, preserving the team’s most recognizable features.
Earlier helmeted dolphin designs still appear on Miami’s throwback uniforms.
What do the dolphin, sunburst and colors represent?
The design connects the Dolphins to South Florida. The team’s media guide describes aqua and marine blue as colors of the Atlantic Ocean, with orange representing the sun. The dolphin’s upward pose captures the moment before it breaks the water’s surface. The transparent PNG above retains the aqua, orange, marine blue and white in the current artwork.
When did the Miami Dolphins start playing?
The franchise was founded in 1965 and began play in 1966 in the American Football League. Miami joined the NFL in the 1970 merger and now plays in the AFC East. The Dolphins’ perfect 17–0 season in 1972 belongs to the helmeted-logo era, decades before the current design.
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