Pro Football’s Redskins Renamed Washington Commanders

The professional football team headquartered in Washington DC is now officially the Washington Commanders. The announcement of this new name ends a name search that took more than a year.

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From Washington Redskins to Washington Commanders

Earlier, team president Jason Wright appeared on the TODAY program last Wednesday. He said that as of today, the official team name is now the Washington Commanders.

Wright also said that they settled for the final name after more than a year of searching. Washington chose to replace its own name, Redskins, after years of protests. Many Native Americans considered “Redskin” a racial slur.  

In choosing “Commanders,” Wright explained their decision. “It’s a name that has the weight and meaning befitting a 90-year-old franchise,” Wright said.

He added that Commanders broadly resonated with fans. It also embodies the values of service and leadership that define Washington DC. “It’s also something that we could own, and grow for the next 90 years,” he added.

Washington Commanders Follows The Cleveland Guardians of the MLB

Actually, Washington joins Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians in adopting a name change. The Ohio pro baseball teams previously sported the name “Indians” and also used a Native American mascot. The Cleveland Guardians' name takes into effect at the start of the 2022 MLB season.  

Meanwhile, Another major league baseball team, the Atlanta Braves, has yet to signify their plans to change their name. However, not everybody seems to advocate for change.

Specifically, Major League commissioner Rob Manfred claims that the Braves enjoy support from local indigenous organizations. In fact, many people find the “Tomahawk Chop,” a cheer that makes fans mimic a slow ax-chopping motion, more controversial. 

New Digs For Washington Commanders

With a new name in place, the franchise will now focus on securing a new stadium to replace the dilapidated FedEx Field in Maryland.

In fact, FedEx Field made headlines when its deteriorating state caught the attention of the media. Issues include a broken sewer pipe and a railing that collapsed after a game. 

In addition, the club also showed interest in reacquiring the RFK field, where the team played between 1961 to 1996. There it plans to build a new 60,000 seat stadium.

However, the US Department of the Interior owns the land where RFK lies. This means securing a new lease to operate within the premises. 

Watch the NBC Sports video reporting that the Washington Commanders is the official new name of the franchise: