Atlanta Falcons face backlash over social media logo resembling Nazi imagery

NFL football team Atlanta Falcons faced backlash after changing its profile picture across social media platforms to a logo fans found similar to Nazi imagery on Wednesday. 

The picture featured the team's old falcon symbol from the 1960s and 1970s, over red, white, and black stripes.

The new profile was uploaded ahead of the Falcons' game against the San Francisco 49ers, where the team is set to wear uniforms with a throwback design. 

The announcement of the new profile picture on X/Twitter was met with thousands of comments pointing out the similarities to Nazi symbolism.

Users edited the falcon symbol onto images of flags at Nazi rallies and onto armbands on images of marching Nazi soldiers.

The official Encyclopedia Britannica X account responded to the post with an image of comedian Norm Macdonald opening a bit about Germany, saying: "I don't know if you guys are history buffs."

The Stop Antisemitism account responded, "Can we have a word ..."

No ill intent behind image, sports logo historian says

Sports logo historian Chris Creamer told NBC that there had been no ill intent in the profile picture and that he "can't imagine in a million years" that the Falcons would deliberately align themselves with Nazis.

“It’s throwback weekend for the team, and the social media team just wanted to dress up like the players were going to, and it’s a very common thing that social media accounts do across all sports,” he told NBC.

A team representative told NBC that the Falcons do not have a new logo but did not comment further.

The profile picture has since been changed back to an image of an Atlanta Falcons helmet.