via New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints unveiled the franchise's 60th anniversary logo Sunday for the 2026 NFL season, and the design is genuinely nice. A shield silhouette references Sir Saint's original early-logo shield from the franchise's first decade. The large white 60 sits inside the shield with hash marks above representing the team's nine division titles (two NFC West, seven NFC South). EST. 1967 anchors the top. The fleur-de-lis at the base ties the patch back to the current Saints primary mark. The shield itself is rendered in a bronze-and-gold gradient that the Saints describe as a nod to dripping oil, the "Black Gold" oil-field term that inspired the franchise's original color palette.
We like the design. We like the symbolism. We like the shield reference and the diamond jubilee callout. The hash marks tied to the division title count is the smartest single design choice on the patch. The fleur-de-lis at the base is exactly where it should be. This is a clean, professional 60th anniversary mark that any NFL franchise would be proud to put on its uniforms.
We have one big problem with it.
Why We Are Stuck on the Bronze Color
The bronze gradient on the shield is the wrong color. The Saints have been running this same washed-out bronze tone on most of their commemorative marks for the past several seasons, and it never reads as the rich gold that made the Saints' Black and Gold identity one of the most iconic in the NFL. The real Saints gold is brighter. Warmer. More yellow. It pops on a TV camera against the black uniforms. It catches stadium lighting at the Superdome the way only a small handful of NFL gold identities do (49ers, Packers, Steelers).
The bronze that the Saints have been using on patches and commemorative marks reads as duller. Less saturated. More matte. On a TV broadcast at full pace, the bronze will not separate from the black uniform the way the real gold would. On Fanatics merchandise, the bronze will not jump out the way real gold pops. On a stadium-ring banner or a flag, the bronze will fade into the background.
This is the Saints' 60th anniversary. The single biggest visual identity moment the franchise will have in the entire 2020s decade. They should be honoring the original Black and Gold color story that put the franchise on the map in 1967, not the muted bronze cousin that has crept into the team's commemorative marks across the past few seasons. Bring the real gold back. The Saints have one shot at the 60th anniversary logo, and the bronze choice is the one place this design misses.
Where Will the Logo Go on the Saints Jerseys?
The Saints have not announced where the 60th anniversary patch will be placed on the team's 2026 uniforms. The standard NFL anniversary patch placement is the upper-left chest, the same spot that has hosted Patriots 50th, Bills 60th, and Bears 100th patches in recent years. Another possible placement is the shoulder, the way the Niners are running the 80th anniversary patch on their throwback and primary uniforms this season.
The shield format of the Saints 60th mark would work in either location. We will update this post the moment the Saints confirm where the patch will live on the jerseys. The bigger question is which uniform combinations will carry it. Every game? Only at home? Only on the Black Saturday alternate? The Saints have flexibility on the patch placement and the rollout, and the choices the team makes will tell us how seriously they are taking the 60th-anniversary visual identity moment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the New Orleans Saints 60th anniversary logo for the 2026 season?
The New Orleans Saints 60th anniversary logo is a shield-shaped patch unveiled Sunday June 1 for the 2026 NFL season, the franchise's sixtieth year. The design features EST. 1967 at the top of the shield, a large white 60 numeral in the middle with hash marks above representing the team's nine division titles, a bronze and gold gradient background, and the Saints fleur-de-lis at the base of the shield. The shield silhouette references Sir Saint, the team's original mascot character from the franchise's first decade.
What do the hash marks on the Saints 60th anniversary logo represent?
The hash marks above the 60 numeral on the Saints 60th anniversary logo represent the franchise's nine division titles across 60 years of NFL history. The titles break down as two NFC West championships and seven NFC South championships since the NFL realigned its divisions in 2002.
Why does the Saints 60th anniversary logo have a shield shape?
The shield container shape on the Saints 60th anniversary logo references Sir Saint, the team's original mascot character from the franchise's first decade in the NFL, and Sir Saint's shield design from the early Saints visual identity. The shield format also ties the patch into the standard NFL primary-team-shield template that the league uses for most modern team logos.
Why are the Saints colors black and gold?
The Saints' black and gold color palette dates back to the franchise's founding in 1967. The team's original color inspiration is the "Black Gold" oil-field term, a reference to the petroleum industry that has been one of the largest economic sectors in Louisiana for over a century. The 60th anniversary logo color story leans into the same Black Gold reference with a bronze and gold gradient that the team describes as a nod to dripping oil.
Is the bronze color on the Saints 60th anniversary logo the same as the team's regular gold?
No, and this is our biggest critique of the design. The bronze gradient on the 60th anniversary shield reads as a muted, less-saturated version of the Saints' classic gold identity. The original Black and Gold the franchise launched with in 1967 was a brighter, warmer, more yellow gold that reads sharp against the black uniforms and pops on a TV broadcast camera. The bronze the Saints have been running on commemorative marks across the past several seasons reads duller and flatter. We wish the 60th anniversary patch had committed to the real gold instead of the bronze cousin.
When was the New Orleans Saints franchise founded?
The New Orleans Saints were founded as an NFL expansion franchise on November 1, 1966, and played the first regular-season game in franchise history on September 17, 1967, against the Los Angeles Rams at Tulane Stadium. The 2026 NFL season marks the franchise's 60th anniversary year, which is why the team is launching the 60th anniversary patch and the EST. 1967 callout on the shield design.
Where will the Saints 60th anniversary patch go on the jerseys?
The Saints have not announced where the 60th anniversary patch will be placed on the team's 2026 uniforms. The most common placements for NFL anniversary patches across the league are the upper-left chest (where Patriots 50th, Bills 60th, and Bears 100th patches have lived) and the shoulder (where the 49ers 80th anniversary patch sits on the team's 2026 jerseys). The shield format would work in either location.
Will the Saints wear the 60th anniversary patch on every game?
The Saints have not confirmed which uniform combinations will carry the 60th anniversary patch through the 2026 NFL season. Possibilities include every game, only home games, only specific games tied to the franchise's history calendar, or only the team's Color Rush or alternate-uniform appearances. We will update this post the moment the Saints announce the patch placement and the game-by-game rollout.
Did the Saints unveil a special 60th anniversary uniform for 2026?
The Saints have not yet announced a special 60th anniversary uniform for the 2026 NFL season. The 60th anniversary patch is the only confirmed visual identity element for the milestone year so far. The team may add a Color Rush, an alternate jersey, or a throwback uniform tied to the anniversary as the season approaches. We will update this post if the Saints announce additional commemorative uniform elements.
For another team running an anniversary patch this NFL season, read our 49ers 80th anniversary patch post.
