What began as an emergency place holder name may actually become the permanent nickname of one of the NFL’s oldest franchises.
According to team President Jason Wright, the Washington Football Team may opt to make their temporary name, permanent.
“There are a set of folks that have warmed to the Washington Football Team,” Wright told ESPN’s John Keim about the fan input he has received. “Some of the things that are emerging from that are the Washington Football Team has something that ties deeply to our history. It feels like that isn’t jettisoning all the things we have been in the past, whereas something that’s completely new might feel that way.
“It’s important for a substantial part of our fan base to feel that this is a continuation of something vs. a complete reset, something brand new.”
Wright stressed there is no exact timeline for announcing the team’s permanent nickname.
“The sooner the better, that’s one thing I hear from the fan base,” Wright explained. “I would like it sooner than later, but it’s hard to commit to timing because the importance here is thoroughness, rigor, and ensuring that we have been inclusive of all the folks that we need to listen to. That works against speed in some ways, but we’re moving as fast as possible.”
The Washington Football Team, formerly known as the Washington Redskins, dropped their 87-year-old nickname due to activist pressure in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, and the threat of sponsor boycotts.
The team has received over 15,000 suggestions for a new name and logo. While the team may choose to keep Football Team as their permanent name or opt for something new, the team plans to retain their Burgundy & Gold colors regardless.