Commanders name draws mixed reaction from Chase Young, Washington players

More than 18 months after the rebrand was confirmed, the Washington Football Team has become the Washington Commanders.

The highly anticipated announcement — that was unfortunately subdued to an extent thanks to countless unavoidable leaks — featured the debut of new uniforms, a modernized version of the “W” logo and even a new crest.

Like anything that involves change, the Commanders moniker and everything in between hasn’t been universally accepted by fans. It became obvious long ago that folks weren’t going to collectively accept any one name.

While everyone’s busy sharing your opinions on social media, have you ever stopped to consider what Washington’s players think about the name?

Take Jonathan Allen for example. The Pro Bowl DT was the only member of the promotion trio — that also included Terry McLaurin and Chase Young — that was present for the live announcement and afterparty at FedEx Field.

We already know that Allen likes the name. However, when NBC’s Craig Melvin asked him to describe the locker room’s raw reaction when it was first informed of the nickname, he delivered an eye-opening response.

The Washington Commanders nickname drew mixed reactions from Chase Young and other players on the team.

"“Kinda like the internet, it was 50/50,” Allen said. “Half loved it, half didn’t. But I tell people, it’s hard to love something when you only hear the name. You have to see the name, see the uniforms, see the environment, see the culture. It’s more than just a name, it’s a whole rebrand for this entire organization. So the name is just a part of what we are and what we’re gonna be moving forward.”"

Spoken like a true captain. As Allen notes, it’d be shortsighted to critique the name by itself without considering the uniforms, symbolism of leadership, military background and ties to the location of the franchise.

At the same time, it’s admittedly pretty comical to hear that Washington’s locker room feels a lot like the fans.

When it comes to Chase Young, who’s currently rehabbing his knee in Colorado and was unable to attend the rebrand, he loves the new uniforms. However, the 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year isn’t as bullish on the new name.

During an interview with USA TODAY in November, Young gave his letter grade for Commanders. Take a look.

https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1488865737322213376?s=20&t=ZZYdXW5C7c8yB-_aHxBUPA

That’s definitely not what we would call an endorsement. However, it’s worth noting that Young gave the following nicknames an “F,” too: Red Hogs, Defenders, Armada, which he gave an “E”, Presidents and Brigades. He stamped Red Wolves with a “C-” and gave the Football Team the strongest review.

With that said, this is just the latest example that fans (some, not all) and Washington’s locker room are in lockstep with their Commanders skepticism.

With time, though, we’re confident the rebrand’s rocky landing will smoothen out.