Atlanta Falcons’ retro profile image draws Nazi-era comparisons before 49ers game
A red, white and black image posted ahead of a throwback game prompted backlash online. The Falcons told NBC News it was not a new logo.
The Atlanta Falcons’ retro social-media image drew backlash on Thursday, 22 October, after users compared its red, white and black design with Nazi-era imagery. The NFL team posted the image ahead of Sunday’s home game against the San Francisco 49ers in Atlanta; a representative told NBC News it was not a new logo.
The image appeared on the Falcons’ Instagram and X accounts, where the X post called it “New PFP,” short for new profile picture, NBC News reported. It places an older falcon symbol over stripes in the team’s colours. NBC said the design appeared to refer to the expansion-era 1966 Falcons logo, while the Guardian described the symbol as one used in the 1960s and 1970s.
How the Falcons’ image prompted backlash
Social-media users compared the artwork with imagery associated with Nazi Germany and made Second World War-themed jokes in replies. The Guardian reported that the Falcons’ X post had drawn roughly 26 million views by the time of its report. That figure describes the reported reach of the post, while the objections concerned the appearance of the image; neither establishes what the team intended by the design.
A Falcons representative reached by NBC News late Thursday afternoon said the team did not have a “new logo” and declined further comment. The clarification addresses whether the club had changed its logo, but leaves the purpose of the striped presentation unexplained by the team.
Why the image was posted before the 49ers game
The Falcons are due to wear throwback uniforms when they host the San Francisco 49ers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, according to NBC News. Sports logo historian Chris Creamer told NBC that teams commonly change their social-media profile pictures to match throwback uniforms. He described the Falcons’ image as a likely attempt to make their online appearance match what players would wear for the game.
Creamer told NBC he did not fault the team for posting the image initially and could imagine staff overlooking the resemblance before publishing it. Once the replies escalated, he said, the Falcons could have removed the picture and tried another. His assessment concerned how the team handled the reaction; it was not a statement from the Falcons about the designers’ intent.
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Sources and context
- ‘The Bird Reich’: Atlanta Falcons roasted over throwback logo with Nazi resemblanceThe Guardian (Guardian sport and agencies; no agency byline identified in retained text)
- Atlanta Falcons show off new profile pic on social media that some fans say resembles Nazi imageryNBC News
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.