For years, Washington’s football team faced backlash over the insensitivity of its team name, the “Redskins”. Ultimately, before the 2020 season, team owner Dan Snyder finally gave in to the growing criticism regarding the name, and prompted to temporarily rename the team to the “Washington Football Team”. The move drew the ridicule of other fanbases for its simplicity and laziness in thought, while Washington’s fanbase was left in disbelief. “ We need an actual name,” Clarksburg High School senior Caleb Kim said, “The Washington Football Team just doesn’t have the ring to it that an actual name does.”
Before the start of the 2021 season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter sat down with Washington Football Team Co-CEO Tanya Snyder to discuss all things WFT. Schefter wasted no time in steering the conversation towards the subject of the organization’s name. Snyder revealed that the team was down to three final options for the future name of the franchise, but did not provide any further details for the options.
Schefter went on to name the eight names that were rumored to be possibilities: Armada, Presidents, Brigade, Redhawks, Commanders, Redwolves, Defenders, and the Football Team. Snyder, however, confirmed that the three favorites are all included in the eight named by Schefter.
Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera also gave his opinion on which names had his backing. In a recent interview with Annie Agar of Bally’s Sports, Rivera admitted that two names have caught his attention. “One that caught a lot of steam that I kind of thought would be cool would be Redwolves,” Rivera said, “I thought Red Tails also was not a bad choice.”
Coincidentally, the Redwolves and Red Tails have been fan favorites on social media since the debate began. The support of the head coach could have further influence in this critical decision that could have a drastic effect on the team’s culture moving forward.
In terms of the rest of the names being considered, none of them stand out as “the one.” In my opinion, Presidents, Commanders, and Defenders are the worst options on the list. Simply put, these names don’t have the type of ring that football fans so eagerly desire to root for.
The Armada, Brigade, and Redwolves are drastic improvements than the previous three, but the one that has my full support is Redhawks. The Redhawks provide a mascot that can be the new face of the franchise, and help usher in a new era of fans.
Others agree as well. “I personally like the change because I think it gets rid of unnecessary drama surrounding the team,” Sherwood High School senior Christian Winckler said. “I would like to see the name changed to Redwolves. It’s the best one.”
Others believe that any name would suffice, as long as the team leaves behind the drama of its past. “I feel like there was so much controversy surrounding the old name,” Kim said. “This change will give the franchise a fresh start with a new name and a mascot that fans can look to.
The organization has stated that the new name will be in effect starting in the 2022-2023 season, meaning fans will likely hear the final decision after the team’s current campaign ends. Until then, fans should mark their calendars and look forward to seeing a new face in the NFC East in the future.
Article by Jay Matta of Sherwood High School
Graphic courtesy of Charles Wang of Walter Johnson High School