The Washington Football Team won’t announce its new name until early 2022, but already a name that was considered as a potential contender has been ruled out.
Team president Jason Wright confirmed in a statement on the team’s official website that Washington would not be known as the Warriors. It was removed from consideration because the name “too closely aligns with Native American themes.”
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Here’s Wright’s full explanation of the decision.
One might look at this name as a natural, and even harmless transition considering that it does not necessarily or specifically carry a negative connotation. But as we learned through our research and engagement with various groups, “context matters” and that makes it a “slippery slope.” Feedback from across communities we engaged clearly revealed deep-seated discomfort around Warriors, with the clear acknowledgment that it too closely aligns with Native American themes. Such an embrace of potentially Native-adjacent iconography and imagery would not represent a clear departure that many communities have so forcefully advocated for us to embrace, and that frankly, we set out to do when we started this process a year ago.
The “Warriors” moniker had been considered a potential option by fans because team owner Daniel Snyder previously held the “Washington Warriors” trademark. Originally, he purchased it in 2000 and planned on using it for an Arena Football League team. However, Snyder no longer owns the trademark.
What will the Washington Football Team be called? Names like such as Red Wolves, Redtails, Hogs and others have been floated as options. Keeping the current Washington Football Team name in place also could be an option.
We won’t know the nickname for sure until the team makes an announcement, but Wright believes the team will make the choice that best guides the team into the future.
“As a team, we are confident that our new brand identity will honor our legacy and lead us into our future as a franchise,” he wrote.
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