The NFL team formerly known as the Washington Redskins and Washington Football team has chosen "Commanders" as the new team name. The official name change was revealed on Feb. 2 after the team existed for two seasons as the Washington Football Team. Team officials said the name reflect the location o the team in the nation's capitol as its history.
"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 & Gold while forging a pathway to a new era in Washington. Today may mark the first day for the Washington Commanders, but we are and always will be Washington."
With the name change, an entire new identity was created for the team. The team colors, burgundy and gold, have not changed. The Commanders are represented by a new logo, a stylized "W" on their merchandise. "This symbol carries forward an element of the Washington Football Team chapter in the franchise's history and acknowledges the team's deep Washington roots, while the W's angled cuts, bolded lines and serifs signify forward movement and progress. The slanted elements of the stripes bordering the 'W' are inspired by military rank insignia, helping to infuse the familiar mark with elements of the team's new identity," according to a statement.
The team has had some stains on its image throughout its history. Years of protests over using the head of an Indian chief that was deemed racially insensitive as a mascot led to the transition to a new team identity in 2020. The Redskins, as they were known at the time was the last team in the NFL to integrate. An article published online at Mother Jones reveled that Nazi's once marched to keep the team all white, a desire co-signed by the racist owner George Preston Marshall. The article said the owner would rather hire a woman than a Black person. The struggle to integrate Washington’s football team is recounted in Thomas G. Smith’s 2012 book, Showdown: JFK and the Integration of the Washington Redskins.
Today the team, like the league is majority Black.
Some die-hard fans still associate the team with their original Redskins moniker that had been used from 1937 to 2020.
Fans will have the opportunity to help write the team's fight song.