Ever wonder how the New England Patriots got their nickname?
According to CNN.com, Boston’s original AFL franchise held a contest in 1960 to name the team. Seventy-four fans submitted "Patriots." Phil Bissel, a Boston Globe cartoonist, then drew the "Pat the Patriot" logo, which featured a Minuteman preparing to snap a football.
The Patriots’ AFC East rival Jets also have an interesting story behind their name. They were originally nicknamed the Titans and renamed in 1963. Other ideas that were bounced around were the Dodgers and Gothams. The name Borros also was nixed in fear of opposing fans putting together Borro and Burro (Spanish for donkey). They worried the team would have been referred to as the jackasses.
Buffalo and Miami also both found their nicknames in contests.
Here are some other notable NFL nicknames.
The Saints are named after the song "When the Saints Go Marching In," and the fact the team was awarded to New Orleans on All Saints’ Day.
The St. Louis Rams were named after owner Homer Marshman’s favorite college football team, the Fordham Rams.
Dallas went from the Steers, to the Rangers, but finally settled on the Cowboys. They feared the Rangers nickname would get confused with the local minor league baseball team with the same name.
Green Bay is named directly after one of its original sponsors, the Indian Packing Company. The company eventually went under, but the nickname remains.
