Selling you on Washington Redskins rebranding ideas

So the Redskins appear to be rebranding. Not all are on board with the idea, but it seems like a given at this point. So we might as well run with it.

The pressure on Dan Snyder to rebrand the Washington Redskins has long been building, and last week, it boiled over, with news that FedEx and other major corporate sponsors demanded a name change, while others backed out of partnerships with the Redskins franchise.

Now, amidst the threat of heavy financial consequence, Dan Snyder and Ron Rivera have announced that they are undergoing a thorough review of the Redskins nickname, and cascading reports have spoken of an almost guaranteed name change, which could happen as early as this fall.

Pressure has built before, but never to this point, and now, we are left with the possibility that the last snap of the Washington Redskins might have been played. Come next season, the team in Washington may carry a different name. The golden question is — what will it be?

Several new name ideas have circulated on social media over the past couple weeks, and a select few have risen above the rest as legitimate contenders. We have no idea if Snyder and Rivera are actually taking fan opinion into account, but just for kicks, let’s take a look at some of the Redskins rebranding ideas, and let’s try and sell each other on the future.

Washington Warriors

The Washington Warriors is one of the most popular ideas out there, but also one of the most simplistic, creatively speaking. It’s not a sharp pivot from the old Redskins’ theme, but given that the team will be abandoning all Native American imagery, there will be cosmetic changes to make.

With that being said, even without explicit Native American affiliation, Dan Snyder could still potentially fulfill his initial desire to honor Native Americans with the new name, if he chooses Warriors. The term “Warrior” is broad and wide-reaching, and the archetype of a valiant fighter can resonate across different communities.

Check out this uniform design for the Warriors below. It employs a darker burgundy that almost resembles the leather of a football, a smooth logo, a slick white helmet, and a number scheme that vaguely resembles the Greek numbers of the Tennessee Titans. The shoulder logos are kind of weird, but as my friend George Carmi noted, that could be replaced by the D.C. flag, giving this uniform a local connection.

And here’s an update on this design, from the creator himself:

Since the Redskins can’t retain their Native American imagery if they switch to “Warriors”, adopting an ancient Spartan theme could be productive instead. Spartans are badass; they wore red to conceal wounds on the battlefield, and they fought in impenetrable phalanx formations. The Washington Warriors’ defensive line could become the new phalanx, suffocating opponents en route to restored relevance. Spartans also used spears, so that imagery could potentially be retained.

And don’t worry, contrary to the movie 300, Spartans don’t move in slow motion. Terry McLaurin wouldn’t lose a step wearing burgundy and bronze.

Washington Redtails

The Washington Redtails name has garnered mixed reviews on social media. Some, like Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins, are bullish on the idea, but others aren’t so high on the name, pointing to ways it could be misused, in the event that the Redskins fail after its implementation.

That said, it’s important to remember what the “Redtails” name represents. The Redtails name refers to the legendary Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, the first African-American fighter pilot unit which was distinguished by the red tails of its planes. When enemies saw those tails, they felt fear, and that’s the same fear the modern Redtails’ burgundy and gold could instill in their opponents.

There are two uniform designs below, with the first one being perhaps the most ambitious. It keeps the traditional burgundy and gold, and features a crisp white wing design on both the shoulders and the collar. There’s also a white ring around the arm cuffs, emphasizing the burgundy and white contrast that works so well with the gold accent.

Also take a look at the helmet. The helmet is bound to get more variation of opinion; it’s designed as a vintage fighter pilot helmet, with the impressions designed in gold on the side. I think it could go without the drawn-in goggles personally, but everything else could be passable; again, the white and gold work well together on the burgundy matrix.

https://twitter.com/DCsportsXP/status/1280150265589530625

The first design is my personal favorite if the team chooses the “Redtails” as their new mascot, but below, there’s another mock-up. This one is simpler, keeping most of the design elements from the modern Redskins uniform. The only major differences are that the logo is now the proposed Redtails primary logo, and the numbers and pants are now a radiant golden-yellow, as opposed to white. The gold really pops against the burgundy, but it does kind of give a ketchup-and-mustard vibe, which is something the Redskins might want to pivot away from in this rebranding.

Plus, ketchup is gross.

Washington Redwolves

Yeah, I know. This one seemed kind of corny to me at first, too. Then it grew on me. Then it cooled off. But now it’s grown on me again.

If you think about the “Redwolves” in the same context as the Redskins, it’s going to feel weird and forced to you. But if you think of the Redwolves as its own thing, it may help you accept the uniqueness of the idea.

A red wolf is actually a real thing; it’s not a made up mascot contrived to fulfill a team’s color scheme requirement. Red wolves are actually an endangered species, native to the United States. In times where the red wolves had higher numbers, they may have been found in D.C., but they’ve been reduced to wilderness areas in North Carolina and captive breeding grounds.

In a way, the Redskins are not so different from the Redwolves. Outnumbered, up against the odds, but perhaps destined to make a dramatic return. Below is the uniform design for the Washington Redwolves, a slick all-white option that emphasizes the rugged aspect of the wolf. There’s logically very little gold, as the red and the white are the primary colors of the elusive beast.

Eye the spined stripe on the helmet, resembling a wolf’s fur, as well as the classic Redskins “R” which has been distorted, designed to fit the image of a wolf. Also take note of the claw marks on the shoulders, as well as the streamlined, ethereal white-on-white look, with the burgundy serving as an efficiently-used accent. Some of these ideas could be refined, but I’m a big fan of paying homage to the classic “R”, while also adding in a rogue wolf element. And the colors could easily be flipped, with a dark, rustic burgundy underlying a brilliant silver on a home uniform.

https://twitter.com/DCsportsXP/status/1281351266086662146

Numerous Redskins and former Redskins have voiced their support for the name “Redwolves”. Jonathan Allen apparently expressed excitement at the idea of howling after a sack, and former Redskins Will Compton and Anthony Armstrong also spoke out in favor of the idea.

It’s ultimately a fan-made prototype, so Snyder and Rivera might not even be considering this. But if the support seen from the Redskins fan base and players is any indication, maybe they should.

Washington Wolfpack

If you’re not a fan of the Redwolves name, you may be more inclined to get on board with the Washington Wolfpack idea.

It’s a spin-off of the Redwolves idea, keeping the appeal of the wolf, while tapping into mechanisms of alliteration and unity. The “Washington Wolfpack” rings off the tongue well, and the name emphasizes the pack as the strength of the team. Given that Ron Rivera’s rebuild is centered on team growth, he could take to this name more than others.

The logo may need refinement and a more official remake, but the idea of the Wolfpack is a strong one. The strength of the wolf is the pack, and that’s a motto that could serve the new-look Redskins well for years to come, promoting unity both for the team and the fanbase.

Given that the nickname “Wolfpack” drops the prefix “red”, it is possible that the Wolfpack nickname could better implement the gold accent. It would be a bit odd to field the Wolfpack mascot, as it would make Washington the only NFL franchise with a singular tense nickname (i.e., Jazz, Heat). But overall, it’s a name that has some weight, both from a phonetic standpoint and a symbolic standpoint.

Washington Redhawks

This is a uniform concept that may have a lot of support from older fans, because it doesn’t transition too far away from the Redskins’ roots.

Remember the classic uniforms the Redskins wore back in the 1970s? The pale gold with the burgundy, and the red “R” inside a circle on the side of the helmet? It’s a simple concept, and in its simplicity, it comes off as efficient, and easily transferrable. All you’d have to do is get rid of the feather on the outside of the logo, and you’d be good to go.

Earlier in the offseason, a Chase Young edit featured him wearing this uniform, and if the Redskins were to change their nickname to the Washington Redhawks, they could adopt this old uniform version with little incident. There’s almost no Native American imagery, and it’ll uphold the timeless simplicity that made the Redskins’ old uniforms one of the more dependable ones in the league.

https://twitter.com/BarstoolOSU/status/1265409756140896257

For those who’d prefer as little change as possible, the next best option, aside from keeping the Redskins’ name — which seems like no option at all at this point — would be transferring to a name like Redhawks, diverting back to an older version of the uniform, such as this, and then modernizing it slightly to fit the current era. This edit is just a glimpse of how cool this retro look would be, and in terms of effort efficiency, this might be the best option.

What is your favorite name idea, out of the Warriors, Redtails, Redwolves, Wolfpack, and Redhawks? Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments section below, and stick with us here at Riggo’s Rag for more updates on the name change saga.