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Washington Football Team: Latest update on nickname search is encouraging

By Jerry Trotta

LANDOVER, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 22: Washington Football Team owner Daniel Snyder (L) talks with team president Jason Wright (R) on the sidelines before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at FedExField on November 22, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 22: Washington Football Team owner Daniel Snyder (L) talks with team president Jason Wright (R) on the sidelines before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at FedExField on November 22, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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In light of the civil unrest stemming from the Black Lives Matter movement and other political campaigns keen on inspiring systemic change, the Washington NFL franchise decided to drop its old name, claiming it was offensive towards Native Americans.

In an admirable effort to stay up to date with its full-blown rebrand, Washington announced it will no longer allow fans to wear “Native American -inspired ceremonial headdresses or face paint at home games.”

The move didn’t sit well with fans, but the Football Team is merely trying to distance itself from its controversial history.

However, deciding on a new nickname would really go a long way towards uniting a divided fan base. While it remains to be seen when the moniker will be unveiled, the latest update suggests progress is being made in the evaluation process.

During the latest episode of “Making the Brand,” president Jason Wright, head coach Ron Rivera and GM Martin Mayhew discussed potential new nicknames.

While the names are censored out of the video, Wright seemed to hint near the end of the episode that the list of choices has been trimmed to three.

The latest update on Washington’s nickname search is encouraging.

For any fans who need confirmation before getting their hopes up, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post affirmed the list was down to three during an appearance on the “Grant and Danny” show on 106.7 The Fan on Monday.

We’re still waiting for an official timetable from Wright and the rest of the Football Team’s braintrust, but the second-year president said earlier in the offseason that the name should be in place by early 2022, in plenty of time for next season.

If you watch the video, it looks like Wright and Rivera are really fond of one name, though the video removed any hint of what it could be. The clip was obviously meant to tease fans and create suspense, but don’t take it personally!

It’s all part of the process. We know it’s a drawn-out one, but Wright and Co. have to get this right after they committed to a complete rebrand.

As for potential candidates, Wright ruled out the fan favorite “Warriors,” after determining that it “too closely aligns with Native American themes.”

Other names like “Redwolves” have been thrown around by fans, as well as “Commanders,” “Senators,” “Redtails” and “Renegades.” Those seem to have gained the most steam, but there’s no way to know what Washington’s thinking.

We know it’s going to take a little more patience, but if the purpose of this update was to engage fans, well, mission accomplished.

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