The Atlanta Falcons are embracing a throwback look for their Week 7 matchup against the undefeated San Francisco 49ers.

However, after unveiling a new social media graphic featuring their retro logo, the team drew an unexpected reaction: NFL fans compared the design to Nazi-era imagery.

Fans Argue Falcons’ Logo Looks Similar to Nazi Symbol

NFL fans were quick to question the Falcons’ decision to use the throwback-themed graphic, with some drawing comparisons to Nazi-era imagery.

The resemblance quickly became the subject of jokes and criticism on social media, with several users wondering how the design made it through the approval process.

“Ummmm…someone is going to be fired,” said CFB social media account CFB Home.

“Who thought this was a good idea?”asked another fan.

The logo isn’t very similar to the Nazi symbol of the past, but the color scheme, with the Falcons’ claw pointing outwards, albeit downwards, makes it easy to draw a comparison between the two.

The reaction to the logo was less about fans taking offense and more about trolling the Falcons and making jokes, since the reaction was likely unanticipated.

“I assure you, it stands for Strong Safety,” one fan joked while sharing a photo of Kevin Stefanski.

While the jokes continued, fans still wondered how this idea was allowed to go public because of the unfortunate resemblance. Outlets like TMZ and Awful Announcing both covered the widespread backlash to the logo. However, most of the fans responding to both outlets pointed out that this specific color scheme and logo have been around since the ’60s.

“How on EARTH did this get through approvals?” said one fan.

Regardless of the logo, the Falcons need not let this distract them from the task at hand. The 49ers enter this matchup 6-0 and show no signs of slowing down. They are going to be a tough task for this Atlanta team with their elite offense.

Luckily, the Falcons’ defense has been great, ranking fifth in PFN’s Defense Impact Score with a grade of 80.9. The Falcons need their defense to be on point as they look to take down the 49ers and avoid dropping to 2-5.

A win for the Falcons would do wonders for them. Getting to 3-4 in a shaky (at-best) NFC South would drastically change their season outlook, as one game under .500 is recoverable; three games under leaves a razor-thin margin for error.

It is one of the biggest games of the Falcons’ season so far, even as much of the attention around the team has shifted to the reaction to its bizarre graphic.