Why did the Washington Redskins change their name to Commanders Notifications New User posted their first comment this is comment text Approve Reject & ban Delete Logout
Why did the Washington Redskins change their name to Commanders
Washington Commanders v Chicago Bears The Washington have completed 90 seasons in the NFL. In this time, the team has changed its name four times. When the football franchise was formed in 1932, they were known as the Boston Braves. The very next year, they became known as the . In 1937, they moved to Washington. For 86 years, the team played under the name the Washington Redskins. In 2020, they changed their name to the Washington Football Team. Earlier this year, their name was changed to the Washington Commanders. What led the team to introduce a new name to their franchise twice in such a short period? Why did the Washington Redskins choose Commanders as their team name
The name 'Redskins' has always been controversial. Native Americans were referred to as 'Redskins' by the Brits. Although the Washington Football Team stated that they opted for this name to honor the Native American tribes, it has been heavily criticized for a long time, and many activists consider it to be a slur. For many decades, Native Americans have protested the name and asked that it be changed. In 1972, a delegation of Native Americans met the team's president, Edward Bennett, and urged him to change the team's name. Although the team's name remained the same, they changed their fight song lyrics, replacing “Scalp ’um” with “Beat ’em." They also removed the cheerleaders’ black-braided wigs. In 2020, the franchise faced public pressure to change its offensive name and logo. As the wave of criticism rose throughout the country, the team's major sponsors, such as Nike and FedEx, pressured Washington to change its name. In July 2020, the owners of the team finally decided to act and announced that the team would play under the name Washington Football Team. It was a temporary name that would be used until the franchise decided upon a new name for the team that wouldn't be offensive in any way. In January 2022, Washington announced the seven options they had in mind for the franchise's name: Armada, Brigade, Red Hogs, Presidents, Commanders, RedWolves, and Defenders. A month later, on February 2, 2022, Washington their new named would be the Commanders. The team's co-owner, Dan Synder, said in a statement: “As we kick off our 90th season, it is important for our organization and fans to pay tribute to our traditions, history, legacy, and the greats that came before us. We continue to honor and represent the Burgundy and Gold while forging a pathway to a new era in Washington. Today may mark the first day for the Washington Commanders, but we are and always will be Washington.” Washington played for two seasons under the "Football Team" name and, in 2022, entered the season under the name Washington Commanders. Many fans and famous personalities did not find the name to be , but Commanders will serve as the long-term name for the franchise, possibly for the next 80 years. The Washington Commanders are having a slow start and currently hold a 2-4 record. In Week 6, they defeated the Chicago Bears 12-7, to claim their second victory after losing four back-to-back games. Poll : 0 votes Quick Links More from Sportskeeda Thank You! Show More Comments No thanks Delete Cancel Update Reply ❮ ❯ No thanks Delete Cancel Update Reply ❮ ❯ Be the first one to comment on this story More from Sportskeeda Fetching more content... 1 Logout No Results Found