After a series of controversial name changes in recent years, the Washington Redskins Washington Football Team Washington Commanders are once again expressing an interest in taking on a new name.
But while the Commanders’ new leadership weighs its options, some fans are suggesting that the way back to the glory days lies in a return to the team’s roots. A fan-made petition to return to the Redskins branding is gaining steam online, and team management may be taking notice.
The team’s original name and Native American mascot/logo were first adopted in 1933 and remained in use until 2020, at which point longstanding complaints against the branding were finally heeded amidst heightened racial sensitivity. In the wake of the George Floyd racial protests, investors and corporate sponsors threatened to pull support for the team unless the name and logo were changed. Management announced that the name would be retired in July of that year, opting instead to go by the less-offensive but far-more-mockable “Washington Football Team.”
In 2022, the “Football Team” was dropped in favor of becoming the Washington Commanders, complete with new uniforms and merchandise. However, devoted fans of the franchise have maintained that the Redskins branding was never offensive but rather was meant to respect both the team and Native American culture.
In 2023, a 21-member ownership group spearheaded by current majority owner Josh Harris bought the Commanders franchise for $6.05 billion and immediately went to work restoring the reputation of the struggling team. “It’s hard to imagine but I’ve seen the numbers,” Harris said last week. “The Commanders were once the #1 franchise in the NFL back when they were the Redskins. Not the Dallas Cowboys.”
New #Commanders owner Josh Harris: “It’s hard to imagine but I’ve seen the numbers. The Commanders were once the #1 franchise in the NFL back when they were the Redskins. Not the Dallas Cowboys.”
Harris says he wants to bring those glory days back.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 21, 2023
At the same time, head coach Ron Rivera stated that “Mr. Harris and the ownership group talked extensively about bringing back the glory … Just so everybody knows, we [say Redskin] with the utmost respect for the native tribes and for the American Indian. Anytime that’s brought up, it is brought up with the utmost of respect.”
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These statements prompted fans to renew their efforts to return to the Reskins days, and a change.org petition for the name change has already racked up more than 44,000 signatures. “The name ‘Redskins’ carries deep cultural, historical, and emotional significance, honoring the bravery, resilience, and warrior spirit associated with Native American culture,” the petition reads. “It was never intended as a derogatory or offensive term but as a symbol of respect and admiration.”
It continues: “Changing the name abruptly disregards the positive legacy that the Redskins name has built over the years and disorients the passionate fans who have invested their emotions, time, and unwavering support in the team.”
𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: A petition to change the #Commanders name back to #Redskins now has over 37,000 signatures and counting.
Ron Rivera acknowledge that they have been saying the term “Redskins” a lot recently, but that they say it with “the utmost respect” to native Americans.… pic.twitter.com/lyFokWwbU9
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) August 1, 2023
While it is highly unlikely that the team’s owners will make the switch back to the Redskins branding, it’s clear that the fanbase remains passionate about returning to the franchise’s roots. And with more signatures pouring in by the hour, the movement may become too big for team leadership to ignore.
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