Did the Broncos accidentally leak their new logo?

In many ways, the Denver Broncos are undergoing a period of new beginnings. The franchise is under new ownership, head coach Sean Payton is trying to instill a new culture, and the team is headed toward a new quarterback. As the Broncos head toward a fresh start and a new identity, the team announced that new uniforms would be unveiled on Monday, April 22.

Broncos president Damani Leech said the goal is to be "respectful of our history and traditions" while also understanding that style evolves over time. His comments suggest that the club is aiming to modernize the uniforms.

Ever since the announcement of new uniforms, there have been endless rumors, leaked designs, and concept jerseys floating around the internet. Many of the rumored changes have suggested that the Broncos would add mountains on the jersey sleeves, especially after Leech suggested that the new uniforms would include elements of the team's geographic surroundings.

Broncos inexplicably displayed concept logo design to fans

On Thursday, the Broncos sent an email to season ticket holders that included a link for more information about "Club 1977" at Mile High Stadium. The link led to a page that showed the team's logo along with a modernized throwback "D" logo, according to BroncosWire. Another fan reported seeing the updated "D" logo on the team's website, which was quickly taken down. One of the fans was able to capture a screenshot before the website was updated.

The Broncos organization denied that the team was getting a new logo, according to 9News' Mike Klis.

"Sorry guys, this is bogus," Klis posted on X. "Broncos not getting a new logo. They are getting new uniforms. Damani Leech told us a few weeks ago. This is some sort of fan creation. Not a bad look, but not the new logo for the Broncos."

The team made it abundantly clear that the leaked logo is not real. The modernized "D" logo was a concept designed by Drew Kauffman, who said that the team had not contacted him about the logo, according to BroncosWire. There is still no explanation for why Kauffman's logo appeared on official team promotion.

Leech previously said the new design would keep the team's existing logo, as well as the orange and navy color scheme. Denver will likely have a throwback uniform that features their old "D" logo and a lighter blue for their secondary color. The Broncos currently have four uniform sets: the primary orange uniforms, the away white uniforms, an alternate navy uniform, and throwback/color rush uniforms.

The Broncos currently use their old "D" logo permanently, but fans have been clamoring for its permanent return. The logo was first implemented in 1968 and removed the rider from the logo. It was used for nearly 30 years. There were slight adjustments in 1993 to simplify the contours and make the lines bolder. The modern logo was introduced in 1997 and has not been changed since then.

The NFL is loosening its restrictions on aesthetic freedom for teams. In an effort to ramp up merchandising sales, the league implemented color rush uniforms and increased alternate uniform usage over the past decade. The NFL sent a memo to teams announcing the approval of a third helmet shell design. Teams that are debuting new uniforms this year will be allowed to use a third helmet shell design in 2024, while all other teams can begin using a third design in 2025.