Washington Football’s Nickname Over Time

The new Washington Football Team’s nickname has been announced. This will be the name of the team for the foreseeable future, so I think it’s time to go back and see the history of the team’s name.

The team’s name was Boston Braves when the franchise was founded in 1932. The following year, the team moved to Washington and changed its name to the Redskins, keeping that name until 2020. Even though the franchise won three Super Bowls and found much success through that time, they faced backlash for decades for the name, which was offensive to the Native American community, and many thought the name was derogatory.

In 2020, amidst the George Floyd protests, the team faced pressure from the public and some of its major team sponsors such as FedEx and Nike to change the name. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also said that the team name would always stop them from building a new stadium. On July 3, 2020, the franchise announced that they will be undergoing a thorough review of the team’s name. Ten days later, the team would retire the name.  

Despite many name suggestions, the team would enter the 2020 season as the Washington Football Team. The team would have a pleasing season, making the playoffs and almost beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the eventual Super Bowl champions.  

After completing the 2021 campaign, the franchise announced the new team name would be announced on Feb. 2. Seven names would be in the running, including Red Hogs, Defenders, Armada, Presidents, Brigade, Commanders, or just simply staying with the Washington Football Team.

Then on Feb. 2, Washington announced the new name would be the Commanders. The team came out with a new logo and three new jerseys, one in white, burgundy, and black. After the rebrand, President Jason Wright said, “It showed at the core it’s not about the name. It’s about the opportunity we have to unify a set of people under a burgundy-and-gold banner.” He reiterated that, “People still love this team.”