Total Pro Sports
The NFL is built on tradition, and one of the most recognizable symbols of leadership is the captain’s patch. These patches, proudly worn by team captains on game day, stand for leadership, responsibility, and the respect they’ve earned from their teammates.
But what do these patches really mean? How have they changed over the years? Here’s everything you need to know about the captain’s patch.
The captain’s patch has changed over the years to match the NFL’s evolving approach to leadership. Back in the day, teams could name captains but didn’t have to use a patch to show it. That changed in 2007 when the NFL introduced the embroidered “C” to jerseys, making it official. Depending on team preferences, teams could designate up to six captains for each game, chosen by either the players or the head coach.
The patch’s design has also gotten a makeover. In 2019, the NFL updated the star system. Originally, stars were a mix of white and gold, but now, all the stars are gold for a cleaner look. The outline of the patch also switched from white to gold, making it pop more on jerseys.
The “C” on a captain’s patch is straightforward—it shows that the player is a team captain. But the stars under the “C” tell you more. Each star represents one season of captaincy. For example, one star means it’s their first year as a captain, and four stars mean they’ve held the role for four seasons. However, the system stops at four stars, so if a player’s been a captain for more than four years, they’ll still wear a patch with four stars.
When the patches first debuted in 2007, the stars were a mix of white and gold, but the NFL later switched to all-gold stars to simplify things. This makes it easier to recognize how long someone’s been a captain.
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A gold captain patch is a big deal. It’s reserved for players who’ve been captains for five or more seasons. When a player hits that milestone, the “C” and the stars under it turn gold. This is the NFL’s way of recognizing long-term leadership and commitment.
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs is a well-known example of a player rocking the gold patch. He’s been a captain for years and wears it proudly during major games like the Super Bowl. Other standout players, like Aaron Rodgers, Travis Kelce, and Chris Jones, have also earned gold patches. Even when players like J.J. Watt switched teams, from the Houston Texans to the Arizona Cardinals, the gold patch carried over, honoring their legacy as captains.
Not every team handles captains the same way. Some teams vote for their captains before the season starts, while others wait or...
