After two seasons as the Washington Football Team, the NFL franchise announced on Wednesday that it will change its name to Washington Commanders.
was born Washington Commanders.
After 87 years with the old name and others two seasons What Washington Football Teamthe franchise announced on Wednesday morning (02) that its new name will be Commanders. The team also revealed their new logo and uniforms.
Leaders of the organization, President Jason Wright and coach Ron Rivera, emphasized during the 20-month search that they would like to incorporate the military because of its connection to the nation’s capital.
‘Commanders’ is a term often used in the military as naval officerbut can also be used in a generic way.
“As an organization, we are excited to unite and grow together under our new identity, paying tribute to our local roots and what it means to represent the nation’s capital,” franchise owner Dan Snyder said in a statement.
“As we begin our 90th season, it is important for our organization and fans to pay tribute to our traditions, history, legacy and the greats who have gone before us. We continue to honor and represent Burgundy & Gold as we forge a path to a new era in Washington. Today marks the first day for the Commanders, but we are and will always be Washington.”
The search for a new name began in July 2020, during protests in the United States following the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota. At that time, Snyder began to argue with Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the NFLabout the possibility of changing a name that was considered by some to be offensive and racist.
The franchise announced on July 3, 2020 that it would undergo a name review. Ten days later, he announced that he was retiring from his old nomenclature, adopting Football Team as a temporary thing.
Snyder resisted the name change for years, revealing to USA Today in 2013 that he would never make such a move. Some employees said they believed he would rather sell the team than use a new name.
But that changed during 2020. In June of that year, a letter signed by 87 investors and shareholders representing $620 billion was sent to sponsors such as FedEx, PepsiCo and Nike, asking them to stop doing business with the Washington team unless that your name be changed.
When this was reported by the revealed, officials at the organization had the same thought: it’s over. Most, if not all, were unaware that a possible change was already underway.
A small group from the franchise, including Snyder and Rivera, discussed a new name at the time, but the lawsuit was dropped. At the time, there were reports of trademark issues barring a possible new name.
The pursuit became more serious when the franchise hired Jason Wright a month later. A group met with Native Americans during the process, keeping fans informed of updates on the team’s website.
Wright said he didn’t want to release the name until everything was completed. In July 2021, he announced that the new name would not contain any Native American references or imagery.
Franchise legend, former quarterback Joe Theismann even called the move a ‘new beginning’. The Super Bowl XVII champion admitted that he still felt an attachment to the old name because of the team’s past achievements.
“I don’t feel detached, and the reason for that is because of the fans,” Theismann said. “Believe me: like anything else, you build. You start winning, people will show up. If you don’t win, people are disappointed.”
