Redskins officially announce intent to retire nickname after review

Change is coming for the Redskins, and it will be the last change the franchise sees under that name.

Over a week ago, the Washington Redskins announced their intent to thoroughly review their team’s nickname, after various corporate sponsors expressed the desire to see a name change. Dan Snyder had held strong in the face of pressure against the name in recent years, but at the risk of financial loss and erosion of reputation, he and Ron Rivera resolved to adapt.

Yesterday, it was reported that the Redskins planned to retire their nickname on Monday, and now this morning, we have an official announcement to pair with that report. The Washington Redskins officially announced, via their Twitter account, that they intend to retire the Redskins name once their review and institution of a new mascot is complete. Below, you may see the statement. It reads as follows:

"On July 3rd, we announced the commencement of a thorough review of the team’s name. That review has begun in earnest. As part of this process, we want to keep our sponsors, fans, and community apprised of our thinking as we go forward.Today, we are announcing we will be retiring the Redskins name and logo upon completion of this review.Dan Snyder and Coach Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition-rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans, and community for the next 100 years."

The released statement raises some new questions, but also puts some matters to rest. It was known that the Redskins would likely drop their current team name, but now it’s also confirmed that the logo will be gone with it. Also clarified is that Snyder and Rivera have not yet made a decision on a new name, as was previously thought. They are still in deliberations, and this announcement is only to inform fans and onlookers of the review’s current status.

The Redskins name will reportedly remain in use until the review is completed, which means that the team will not spend a period of time as the “Washington Football Club”, as was speculated by some. There will be no gap between names, but this may only magnify Snyder’s interest to work fast, in order to mitigate potential losses.

It’s unclear if Snyder and Rivera are taking the opinions of fans and players into account, but that may become more clear as they proceed with the review.

The speed with which the renaming process appeared to be commencing was surprising earlier in the week, so it makes sense that the team has, in fact, not decided on a new name. That said, the process is still underway, and progress could be made on a similar timeline to what we’ve seen. Stick with us here at Riggo’s Rag, as we’ll keep you in the loop with any notable updates.