NFL logos rarely change, unlike the MLB or NBA. So this revamped logo from the NY Jets is pretty unusual.
The previous logo was most likely difficult to reproduce at a small scale due to the NY outlined letters in the background. However, it did give the previous logo some extra detail. The ball inside the outer shape is an improvement over the odd-shaped, cartoon-style ball that was a part of the previous logo. However, the overall ball shape feels forced – it doesn’t make the new logo any better. I’m not sure the football within a football works anymore given the latest update.
Arguably cleaner and more modern looking, the new logo is awkward in its use of negative space, between words and the outer shape itself. When used on the updated uniforms, the result does not excite. Sure, it’s an updated version of the original, but it does nothing in terms of sparking new excitement for the franchise. This new revamp lacks any reference to a “jet” as used in older versions of the logo back in the day. You would think that this would be an opportunity to bring back something jet-inspired, such as a contrail, swooped wings or something along those lines.
The new helmets do feature a more substantial “Jets” using up more space, but the old helmets were so recognizable that this new rendition may not get attention from fans. Bringing “New York” to the front chest area of the uniform is a nice addition. But the positioning of “New York” over “Jets” looks out of alignment to me.
Sometimes aligning items based on measurements doesn’t look visually correct to the human eye. Often, identity design requires “eyeballing” certain alignments to allow for a look that is more pleasing to the human eye. Watch out for alignment mistakes made by failing to look at the design from a human’s visual perspective – not simply rulers or alignment tools.