Washington’s NFL franchise has rebranded as the Commanders, 18 months after ditching its Redskins name.
The franchise was known as the Washington Redskins from 1937 until the summer of 2020, when it finally gave in to calls to move on from the name, which was considered by some to be offensive towards Native Americans.
The club faced increased scrutiny during the racial reckoning which consumed America in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and widespread Black Lives Matter protests, with both the franchise and its sponsors pressured to cut ties with the moniker.
It has been known simply as the Washington Football Team since but will now carry the new name into next season when it begins in the autumn.
"As an organization, we are excited to rally and rise together as one under our new identity while paying homage to our local roots and what it means to represent the nation’s capital," owner Dan Snyder said.
"As we kick off our 90th season, it is important for our organization and fans to pay tribute to our past 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."
Washington joins Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians among North American major professional sports teams abandoning names linked to Native Americans. The NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and baseball’s Atlanta Braves have said they are not planning to make a similar change.
As the Commanders, Washington keeps the same burgundy and gold colors that were around for the three Super Bowl championships in the 1980s and early ‘90s glory days.
It follows the desire of team president Jason Wright and coach Ron Rivera for the new name to have a connection to the U.S. military. Commanders was chosen over other finalists such as Red Hogs, Admirals and Presidents. Red Wolves, an initial fan favourite, was ruled out earlier in the process because of copyright and trademark hurdles.
