The Washington Football Team, formerly the Redskins, will likely be playing the 2021 season under the “Football Team” name again. “There’s a pretty good chance we will be the Washington Football Team next season,” team president Jason Wright said during a Tuesday interview with Washington TV station WJLA.
Wright, who was hired during this past offseason, oversees the business operations for the NFL team. “Everybody needs to take a deep breath,” Wright told WJLA. “It’s not coming tomorrow. It’s a business decision, we need to understand that market … It’s important to engage the community and the fans.
“We’re also in the process of identifying the folks that should weigh in over time,” he continued. “We want this name and brand to represent the entire area, to represent the fan base, but to also attract new folks to this fan base. We want to grow this fan base as part of our new identity.”
Dan Snyder, the team’s owner, agreed to a change in the 87-year-old nickname. It was an opportunity to placate sponsors, fans, and activists who felt the former name was a racial slur against Native American communities.
The list of potential new names included the Redtails, Redwolves, and Generals. Snyder decided the team would wait, however, making the Washington Football Team the official 2020 name in a July 23 announcement. Perhaps the “Washington Football Team” will stick.
“Sure, it’s possible!” Snyder said in a Wall Street Journal story last month. “If the Washington Football Team name catches on and our fans embrace it, then we would be happy to have it as our permanent name. I think we have developed a very classy retro look and feel.”
Washington has won only one of its first five games this season. It’s doubtful they’ll be referred to as champions any time soon.
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