The Washington Football Team will reveal its new name and logo in early 2022, team president Jason Wright told the Washington Post last week. On Monday, Wright added a new tidbit to the new upcoming name in his periodical briefing to fans.
Washington’s new name will not be of any Native American imagery. With that in mind, Wright also made it clear the new name won’t be “Warriors” — a popular fan favorite among.
“In the spirit of that engagement, I want to address a name that has emerged amongst our fanbase, “Warriors.” One might look at this name as a natural, and even harmless transition considering that it does not necessarily or specifically carry a negative connotation. But as we learned through our research and engagement with various groups, “context matters” and that makes it a “slippery slope.” Feedback from across communities we engaged clearly revealed deep-seated discomfort around Warriors, with the clear acknowledgment that it too closely aligns with Native American themes. Such an embrace of potentially Native-adjacent iconography and imagery would not represent a clear departure that many communities have so forcefully advocated for us to embrace, and that frankly, we set out to do when we started this process a year ago.”
Jason Wright — President’s Brief: Moving Forward
From 1932 until July 2020 the Washington Football Team’s franchise referenced Native American imagery. Over the course of time, the team’s old moniker and logo was a topic of debate even within the Native American community.
Last year, the team dropped its old moniker which was deemed by many as racist and disparaging to Native Americans. The outcry to change the name built momentum following the George Floyd murder in Minneapolis.
Washington opted for a temporary name, the Washington Football Team, ahead of the 2020 season. Meanwhile, the team launched a wide-range search to select a new name that included over 40,000 submissions from fans, focus groups and surveys.
The team’s traditional colors of burgundy and gold will remain no matter what is the new name. Wright did not hint to what the new name will be. Given the expected time frame of the revealing, it’s safe to assume Washington’s brass has already made a choice for a new name. Legal hurdles such as trademarks and registrations are being cleared in the meantime as fans and the NFL await a new era for the franchise.
