Harris clearly comfortable with use of ‘Redskins,’ but team says no shift on old nickname

Josh Harris, speaking to fans at FedEx Field last month, said he remembered when the Washington Redskins were the No. 1 team in the NFL. Not the Commanders. Not the Washington Football Team. Not the Burgundy and Gold, or any other unofficial names used in place of the team’s former moniker. 

Instead, the new Washington Commanders owner openly referred to the team he grew up watching as “the Redskins.” The remark elicited cheers from the crowd.

Since buying the Commanders, formerly known as the Redskins, Mr. Harris and his ownership group have made several references to the franchise’s old name. The embrace of the moniker — which was retired in 2020 amid renewed societal and corporate pressure — hasn’t gone unnoticed. Over the last few weeks, an online petition has generated more than 50,000 signatures calling for the franchise to rebrand back to the Redskins. Local radio stations also devoted entire segments to the topic. 

A Commanders spokesperson said in a statement that Mr. Harris’ use of the Redskins moniker does not “signify a shift” in the team’s policy toward its former name. But the repeated references still arguably reflect how the dynamic has changed — softened, even — for a franchise that often tried to avoid using the former moniker in the wake of changing its name three years ago. 

“For nearly 90 years, this franchise had a different name, and fans and our new owners alike have fond memories of cheering for that team and watching it win three Super Bowls,” a Commanders spokesperson said. “Making a historical reference to watching and rooting for the Redskins does not signify a shift nor does it change the reasons for dropping the name.”

Those reasons were well documented in 2020. Three years ago, the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police set forth a national reckoning over race-related issues. As part of that movement, which saw numerous entities grapple with names and images long deemed offensive, calls renewed for Washington to change the name that many considered racist to American Indians.

Though former owner Dan Snyder famously said he would “never” change the moniker, the pressure the embattled billionaire faced then was significantly different. Corporations like Target, Nike and Amazon stopped selling the team’s merchandise online. Shipping giant FedEx — which sponsors Washington’s stadium and whose CEO was then a Redskins minority owner — also asked the team to retire the name. 

Mr. Snyder relented. And Washington became the temporary “Washington Football Team” before rebranding to the Commanders in February 2022. 

In the years since, players, coaches and team officials have been careful to avoid using “Redskins,” even when referring to the team’s past. Washington’s notable alumni, for instance, are referred to as “Washington Legends.” Others have corrected themselves in the moment when mentioning the former marker, or in some instances, apologize for using it. “We want our guys to kind of get a feel and understanding for what it meant to be a, you know, excuse me for saying, but a Washington Redskin,” coach Ron Rivera said in June 2022. “Now they’re Commanders.” 

But late last month, there was a different tone at Mr. Harris’ introductory press conference and the fan rally that followed. In the 30-minute presser, Mr. Harris and limited partners Mitchell Rales and Earvin “Magic” Johnson made six references to the “Redskins,” albeit with five containing a “then” qualifier in front of it, i.e. “then-Redskins.” The name “Commanders” was said by the group eight times during the same session. 

Then, after a practice last week, Rivera referred to NBA star Kevin Durant as a “Washington Redskins/Commanders fan” — leading a reporter to ask what he made of people using the former moniker more frequently since Mr. Harris’ arrival. 

“I know this, Mr. Harris and that ownership group talked extensively about bringing back the glory,” Rivera said. “What Coach (Joe) Gibbs did, the traditions, the alumni … It’s hard to escape it. It really is. That’s just the truth of the matter.

“Just so everybody knows, we do that with the utmost respect for the native tribes and for the American Indian. Anytime that’s brought up, it is brought up with the utmost of respect.”

Rivera’s comment further poured gasoline on the issue. Local radio hosts “The Junkies” spent  Tuesday’s show discussing whether the name should return, citing the online petition that was spreading. That petition, started in June, saw a dramatic rise in signatures — going from 16,000 to 30,000 in a two-day span from last Friday to Sunday. 

For someone like Carla Fredericks, the resurgence involving the name and Rivera’s explanation was disappointing. Ms. Fredericks, CEO of The Christensen Fund, a nonprofit aimed at helping American Indians, said she feels the “progress that’s happened since the racial justice awakening in 2020 is very much at risk,” adding that it was a “broader phenomenon” than just Washington. 

“I can’t imagine why the Washington Football Team would want to embroil themselves in these matters, considering how troubled their recent history of their ownership has been,” said Ms. Fredericks, who was involved in the push for Washington to change its name three years ago by pressuring corporate sponsors to cut ties with the franchise. 

That sentiment, of course, may very well hit on why Mr. Harris’ Commanders will likely resist overtures to bring back the old name — no matter how loud a portion of the fanbase gets. 

Former Washington running back Brian Mitchell, now a radio host for 106.7 The Fan, said attempting to bring back the Redskins would be a “slap in the face” to the league and sponsors. Mr. Harris declined last month to directly state whether the Commanders would conduct another rebrand, while Mr. Johnson said in a television interview that “everything’s on the table” for the group to review. 

“Let’s be real, Josh is trying to recoup $6.05 billion,” Mr. Mitchell said, referring to the record price Mr. Harris paid for the Commanders. “You think he wants to hurt his chances in any kind of way?” 

As an alum of the team, Mitchell said he understands why the name had to be changed and feels his former teammates — “the ones who are sensible,” he said — have accepted it, as well. These days, when Mr. Mitchell is on air, he said he tries to just say “Washington” in place of the former moniker but acknowledges that he still slips up occasionally.  That, however, only refers to when he’s talking about the past. 

“Ultimately, they’re the Commanders now,” Mr. Mitchell said.