What Is the Green Bay Packers Logo?
The Green Bay Packers logo is a white letter G inside a dark green and gold oval. Art student John Gordon drew the first version in 1961, and the team first wore it on 5 August 1961.
It belongs to the Green Bay Packers, the NFL team founded in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on 11 August 1919. Its founders were Earl "Curly" Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun.
The G in its oval is available as the Green Bay Packers logo SVG.
Green Bay Packers Logo Facts
| Designer | John Gordon |
| Introduced | 1961 |
| Symbol | A letter G inside an oval |
| Logo type | Lettermark: a single initial in an oval |
| Owner | Green Bay Packers |
What the Green Bay Packers Logo Means
The G stands for Green Bay. Packers team historian Cliff Christl wrote as much in 2015, despite the popular belief that the letter stands for "greatness".
The oval goes back to the brief Gordon was given. He recalled being asked for "a 'G' in a football shape", so the original letter and its frame were both drawn to suggest a football. Over the years that football shape was smoothed into the oval the team uses.
Green Bay Packers Logo History
The Packers got their name from a sponsor in 1919, and the G logo arrived four decades later under coach Vince Lombardi.
In 1919 Lambeau asked his employer, the Indian Packing Company, a meat packer, for money for uniforms and equipment. The company gave $500 on condition that the team carry its name. That is how Green Bay's club became the Packers.
In 1961 Lombardi asked equipment manager Gerald "Dad" Braisher for a logo. Braisher handed the job to his assistant, John Gordon, then an art student at St. Norbert College. The steps from there were quick:
- Gordon's sketch was approved within a day.
- The Packers wore the G for the first time in an intra-squad game at old City Stadium on 5 August 1961.
- In typical Lombardi fashion, nothing was announced beforehand and nothing was said afterwards.
The Packers and the Packers Hall of Fame recognise the G as Gordon's artwork, and Gordon was given a place in the Hall of Fame. He died in September 2023, aged 83.
The G and Georgia
The University of Georgia adopted a similar G in 1964 and cleared it with the Packers first. It differed in design and colour, but it looked similar enough to cause concern. Georgia's head coach Vince Dooley thought it best to clear the new emblem with the Packers, who hold the trademark on their G.
For more teams like the Packers, browse our sports logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the G on the Packers helmet stand for?
Green Bay, according to team historian Cliff Christl, not "greatness" as is often believed.
Who designed the Green Bay Packers logo?
John Gordon, an art student at St. Norbert College who was assisting equipment manager Gerald "Dad" Braisher in 1961.
When did the Packers first wear the G?
On 5 August 1961, in an intra-squad game at old City Stadium in Green Bay.
Why are the Packers called the Packers?
Their first sponsor, the Indian Packing Company, paid $500 for uniforms in 1919 on condition that the team was named after it.