When it comes to the controversy over the name of Washington's NFL franchise, the unspoken truth is that the traditional brand wasn't dropped because it offended people.
It was dropped because the team was bad. Very bad. Things got so terrible, that the old name lost its entire identity and any semblance of honor that came with it.
To any fans under the age of 40, there are likely very few positive lived memories of Washington football under its previous branding. Their memories consist of losing, off-field scandals, together with total and utter incompetence from the top down.
If there is one person who those too young to remember the glory years are most likely to associate with that name, it's not Joe Theismann or John Riggins. It's not Sean Taylor or Darrell Green.
It's Dan Snyder.
That is precisely why Washington fans should embrace the Commanders moniker as the team — which has now had more success this past season alone than in Snyder's entire tenure — looks to leave the ugliness of its former regime in the past.
Commanders name finally means something after years of perennial franchise misery
Josh Harris' comments were spot-on. The Commanders brand means something in D.C. and around the NFL now. It means something good. It's associated with winning.
As long as Washington builds on its momentum from the 2024 season, it will continue to grow. It will leave Snyder's stench further in the past.
It was under Snyder's watch that the Commanders name was introduced. But when looking back through history in a vacuum years from now, nobody is going to associate that name with him.
He overlapped with it for one season. It was a season in which Snyder was a reclusive figure, already halfway dragged out the door kicking and screaming.
For some, particularly older fans, the former name still holds value. That is perfectly understandable and a reason why this remains a divisive issue.
Washington won three Super Bowls under that name. It was one of the premier NFL franchises in the 1980s and early 1990s. It had an identity and culture. It accumulated a passionate following that brought pride and honor to the region. It's hard to let go of that.
For many other fans, the disastrous 24-year reign of terror under one tyrannical owner sucked out that pride. There's simply no coming back from the damage Snyder inflicted without a complete overhaul. When questions are asked about why Washington was singled out among other Native American-themed sports nicknames in being forced to change back in 2020, the answer is obvious.
The Kansas City Chiefs are still the Chiefs. The Golden State Warriors are still the Warriors. The Atlanta Braves are still the Braves. That's because those are proud, honorable, winning franchises. Washington was the opposite and had been languishing in misery for decades.
Changing the name, combined with the subsequent removal of Snyder, provided a symbolic shift into a fresh new era for Washington football. Seeing as that new era has delivered on its hope and promise so far, it's time to embrace it.
The former name and branding may provide a certain nostalgia for fans who lived through three Super Bowls, and those memories will always exist. Where the future is concerned, there should be no reason to think the team can't create new, similar memories as the Commanders.