Houston Oilers Logos: A Team History

AFL and NFL Eras

The Houston Oilers were a professional football team that played in the American Football League (AFL) from 1960 to 1969 and the National Football League (NFL) from 1970 to 1996. The team's name was derived from the oil industry that was prevalent in Houston at the time. The Oilers had a number of different logos throughout their history, but the most iconic logo was the "Luv Ya Blue" logo, which was introduced in 1971.

The "Luv Ya Blue" logo featured a navy blue helmet with a white oil derrick on the side. The logo was designed by Lamar Hunt, the founder of the AFL, and was intended to represent the team's toughness and determination. The logo was an instant hit with fans, and it became one of the most recognizable logos in the NFL.

Tennessee Oilers and Beyond

In 1997, the Oilers moved to Tennessee and became the Tennessee Oilers. The team kept the "Luv Ya Blue" logo, but they added a new color scheme of navy blue, light blue, and silver. The Oilers played in Tennessee for two seasons before moving to Houston in 1999 and becoming the Houston Texans.

The Houston Roughnecks, an XFL team founded in 2020, share their name with the Oilers old mascot and used a logo that resembled the Oilers until they changed it in 2023 due to copyright issues.