Since Josh Harris and his group bought the Washington Commanders franchise from Dan Snyder, fans and media have debated a potential name change for the team. Harris has not shied away from the team’s old name, saying he grew up in the DC area and remembered going to “Redskins” games.
Even the Commanders’ most notable limited partner, NBA legend Magic Johnson, used the old name, referencing the “Redskins Alumni.”
It seemed then, neither of the owners mentioned the old name by accident. Friday, Commanders head coach Ron Rivera spoke about Harris’ mentioning the name. By the judge of the coach’s words, it sure seems like team officials are testing the waters to get feedback from the retired name.
“Mr. Harris and that ownership group talked extensively about bringing back the glory,” Rivera said, per Scott Abraham of ABC’s 7NewsDC. “And again, what Coach Gibbs did, the traditions, that alumni group of guys that are around, it’s hard to escape it, it really is. That’s the truth of the matter.”
Rivera is right, it’s hard to escape the old name. It was the team’s moniker from 1933 until it was retired in 2020. The franchise legends all played under the name. With the name changed, the team has struggled to connect with the franchise’s past.
The Redskins name got retired after years of protest from some Native American leaders. Dan Snyder once vowed never to change the name. But in 2020 amid the social injustice movement following George Floyd’s death, investor groups, representing Native American tribes, wrote letters to team sponsors, FedEx, Nike, PepsiCo, and others to put pressure on Snyder and team officials to drop the name deemed offensive to Indengious People.
The team retired the name in response. First, the franchise went to a temporary name of the “Washington Football Team” before revealing the Commanders in February of 2022. The choice of Commanders was widely met with criticism.
One of the biggest reasons was Commanders had no connection to the team’s past. No matter how the team officials tried, every attempt seems awkward and unfilling to fans.
Attendance has dropped. Last season Washington ranked last of the NFL 32 teams in home attendance. That’s a year after it ranked next to last. Snyder had a lot to do with it. Some can argue letting a franchise-caliber quarterback in Kirk Cousins walk for basically nothing in return, played a part. But it may be foolish to think the name change had nothing to do with it.
ESPN reported the day of the sale to Harris was official, that the new ownership would consider another name change. Johnson confirmed their thinking when he said “Everything is on the table” including a new name during a TODAY Show appearance.
Ownership understands the Commanders’ name is not popular among fans. The team’s current name is tied to Snyder. Considering all the negativity associated with Snyder, Harris and his group would like to distance the team from the embattled former owner. Making a name change would be one way.
The NFL may not want the headache that would be associated with going back to the Redskins name. And no one has definitively said ownership would like to bring back the name. But, it’s evident the team is throwing around the word to gather feedback.
“So that everybody knows, we do that with the utmost respect, for the Native tribes, for the American Indians,” Rivera added. “Anytime that’s brought up, it’s brought up with the utmost respect.”
The earliest the team’s name can be changed again is 2025. That will give Harris time to address other areas of business. But the feeling is the name will change, even ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks so. Will it go back to the old name? There will be hurdles, both politically, and financially.
Even if the team doesn’t go back to its old name, the Commanders’ brass surely want to reconnect fans to the franchise’s past. Just saying the name in an official capacity would require acceptance. Therefore, make no mistake about it, they’re testing the waters.
