NFL
Could the Washington Commanders change their name again?
Many fans would like the Washington-based franchise to change its name for a third time, which majority owner Josh Harris hasn’t ruled out.
It was just four years ago in 2020 when Washington’s NFL team briefly rebranded itself as the “Washington Football Team” following years of criticism about its name: The Redskins. Then, just two years later, the franchise changed its name once again in 2022, becoming the Washington Commanders. Could yet another change come some time soon?.
Fans don’t like the name “Washington Commanders”
Shakespeare once inferred that a rose by any other name would still be a rose in that it would smell as sweet. Apparently, that doesn’t seem to be the case in Washington, if a poll conducted among fans earlier this year is anything to go by. Some 58% of those who participated said they either “dislike or hate” the team’s current name.
“As you would imagine, everybody has an opinion about the name,” responded Majorie Harris, the wife of Commanders majority owner Josh Harris. “Some good, some bad, some in the middle. I think that we have a lot of work to do, so that name issue is gonna be on the side for now until we can get things going. Quite frankly, I had a whole day out in the community, and I kept referring to the team as the Commanders. And you know what? It sounds pretty good to me. So for now, it’s the Commanders.”
Redskins return ruled out
In May, Commanders coach Dann Quinn met with the media during rookie minicamp while wearing a shirt which featured a reference to the team’s old logo. However, Josh Harris revealed in August there is no chance of the Redskins identity being revived “for obvious reasons”.
The Commanders owner instead stressed that the franchise is focused on making the team a contender once again. Consider for a moment that Washington hasn’t seen a Super Bowl title since 1991, a title that came on the back of three others during the period between 1982 and 1991. In what will mark the first full season for Harris & Co. who purchased the franchise last summer, it was important to start on the right foot.
Josh Harris refuses to rule out dropping Commanders name in future
“We’re focused on things to unify the team around our football team and unify the city around our football team,” Harris explained. “The first objective is we gotta start winning football games, and we need everyone supporting the team and not things that will drive people apart.”
That said, he confessed another potential name change is something that will continue to be mulled over in the background: “We’re trying to find a new home. Again, unifying (the) city around that is important and so, the name is one of those things that have a lot of opinions … but I certainly haven’t forgotten about it. Like I said, I grew up here. So, I understand it.”
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