The Washington Commanders may have lost their last three games, but there’s no denying there’s an energy from the fan base that hasn’t been around in more than two decades.
In the first year under a new owner, general manager head coach and the hopeful future franchise rookie QB, Washington is way ahead of schedule on a rebuild that was expected to take multiple years.
It was just a few years ago that so many fans had abandoned the team they loved for generations. Dan Snyder created an environment of chaos, dysfunction and drama and it translated to losing on the field with constant scandals and distractions off the field.
The once iconic NFL franchise became a shell of itself — and despite Snyder claiming he would never change the team’s name, that became a focal point of controversy as some native Americans viewed it as offensive — he was finally backed into a corner in 2020 as massive sponsors began to threaten to pull their deal with the team — and the “Redskins” name was permanently retired.
For many fans, it’s still a point of contention. They fell in love with the logo, the uniforms and the fight song that echoed through RFK and then FedEx Field after a touchdown. They associated it with success, and envisioned the three Super Bowls, which all happened with the Redskins as the team’s name.
But times have changed. And it’s hard to know if Snyder’s reputation and shady dealings were the driving factor, but the fact remains that the former name is gone — and at least for now — the team in D.C. is known as the Washington Commanders.
Last week, the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources voted 17-2 to advance legislation H.R. 4984, which would transfer control of the RFK Stadium site to the District of Columbia. This means there’s a decent chance a future stadium will be built on the site where the most iconic moments in the history of the franchise took place.
But there was a twist, which now has multiple media outlets reporting that Washington is bringing back the old logo.
Washington Commanders considering bringing back old logo for throwback merchandise
Montana Senator Steve Daines confirmed that talks are underway with FOXNews America Reports. “There’s good faith in negotiations going forward that’s going to allow this logo to be used again,” Daines told . He suggested that proceeds from merchandise featuring the logo could go toward supporting Native American causes, framing it as an opportunity to “honor Indian Country.”
But casual fans now believe the iconic NFL franchise is now considering using the logo in a current rebrand — as if they would remain the Commanders or change their name to something like the Warriors — and bring back the old helmets with the logo for the current team to wear.
That isn’t being debated or discussed according to the Washington Post. The only significant change is the Commanders have agreed to honor Walter “Blackie” Wetzel, who was responsible for designing the logo as a source of pride.
“In September, Commanders and NFL representatives visited the family in Montana and hosted them in Maryland to unveil a memorial to Wetzel. The family and team have also discussed creating a foundation to support Native American causes, though details have not been finalized, and the team has assured the family it will no longer edit out the old logo from throwback gear.”
So while it appears the NFL franchise will now display photos and social media posts with the old logo and even potentially create “throwback” merchandise featuring it, there’s absolutely no evidence Harris and company are considering using it as part of the current team’s uniform.
New owner Josh Harris has repeatedly said another rebrand is near the bottom of his priorities as he attempts to fix over 20 years of chaos. And while there’s still a chance he could change the name again, the brand is currently booming due to the success of rookie sensation Jayden Daniels and the unexpected hot start to the year.
The Commanders have sold out every game this season and total gate receipts are up 20 percent. Jayden Daniels leads all NFL players in merchandise sales from retail giant Fanatics and Washington has signed 29 new partnership deals.
Winning trumps all — and if they keep finding success on the field — people will spend money as fans regardless of the name.
It seems like business is booming and while there’s still a chance Harris changes the name again, the Redskins logo will almost certainly never be a part of any current rebrand. It will be used on merchandise and not blurred out on images and videos from the team, but that’s as far as it will likely go.