Phil Bissell, the creator of the Pat Patriot logo for the New England Patriots, has died at the age of 97. The Patriots announced Bissell's passing Thursday, nearly 60 years after the cartoonist came up with the iconic design.
Bissell was a former Boston Globe cartoonist, and he came up with the Pat Patriot logo on Feb. 17, 1960, according to WCBV-TV in Boston. The Boston Patriots then adopted the image as their primary logo for ahead of their first season in the American Football League.
We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Phil Bissell, the original creator of the Pat Patriot logo. pic.twitter.com/U6aC99w3ns
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 25, 2024
The Patriots kept that logo for over 30 years, but they made the switch to the current logo for the 1993 season. Bissell never cared for the new logo, which is now referred to as "Flying Elvis."
"Frankly, the flying Elvis was fine if it was on the car hood or something," Bissell told WCBV in 2022. "But it didn't have any feeling. This guy's got feeling. That's why he was able to center the ball and do as well as he did."
The Patriots still use the Pat Patriot logo for throwback uniforms. In 2023, the Pats sported that look twice. The first time was in a Week 2 matchup with the Miami Dolphins, and the second was in a Week 13 clash with the Los Angeles Chargers.
