National Football League

Browns player jokes that orange in Super Bowl LIX logo means 'we got a chance'

Published Feb. 12, 2024 7:24 p.m. ET

The great Super Bowl logo conspiracy may have been (partially) debunked over the past few weeks, but one Cleveland Browns player is still looking on the bright (orange) side after the logo for Super Bowl LIX on FOX was revealed on Monday.

The conspiracy dictates that the colors in logo, which is customarily revealed in the days following the previous year's Super Bowl, predict which teams will play in the big game.

It gained steam once again late in the 2023 regular season and into the playoffs as the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers earned the AFC and NFC No. 1 seeds, respectively, and each team reached their respective conference championship games — needing just one more win to reach a Super Bowl whose logo was primarily purple and red.

But the Chiefs upset the Ravens (before doing the same to the 49ers in the Super Bowl), and after the AFC title game, several NFL players, including Travis and Jason Kelce, were quick to debunk the "meaningless and stupid" conspiracy and celebrate its end after the Chiefs beat the Ravens.

While many NFL players may be over the logo conspiracy, however, there is at least one who still enjoys it — Browns safety Juan Thornhill.

Thornhill quoted an NFL on FOX post on X about the logo, joking that because there is a bit of orange in the color scheme (along with red and lime green), the Browns may have a chance next year after all.

Thornhill may have some reason for optimism beyond the logo color. The Browns rode a stellar defense and stunning midseason resurgence from 39-year-old quarterback Joe Flacco to an 11-5 record and playoff appearance despite several key injuries to Cleveland's roster.

And Thornhill knows a thing or two about Super Bowls himself, having played in three and won two with the Chiefs before signing with the Browns last offseason.

As for the logo, Super Bowl LIX marks the first time the NFL has collaborated with an artist tied to the Super Bowl's host city, in this case New Orleans-based Tahj Williams, on the logo design.

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