Last month, play-by-play announcer Bram Weinstein reported that the Washington Commanders were considering making changes to their uniforms, though there was no timeline for when those changes could take place.
He also added that he had not heard any rumblings about a possible name change alongside a uniform redesign, though he quickly shot down the idea that the Commanders could become the Redskins again, saying, “That’s literally not happening.”
Fast forward roughly one week and Commanders owner Josh Harris was asked a similar question about their former – and controversial – nickname during the NFL Honors awards show ahead of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
“I think it’s time to move on,” Harris, who did not own the team when it selected the current nickname, told NBC News sports editor Greg Rosenstein. “‘Commanders’ is important in our culture, in our building and football. It’s time to move on.”
The Redskins nickname dates back to 1933, when the franchise was located in Boston, and it remained until 2020 when it announced a placeholder name (Washington Football Team) amid pressure from sponsors and nationwide protests against racial inequality.
The Commanders played two seasons as the Washington Football Team, wearing a stripped-down version of the Redskins’ look, before selecting their new nickname and unveiling their current uniforms in 2022.
NFL rules would typically prevent the franchise from making changes to its uniforms until 2027, but extenuating circumstances such as Harris’ purchase of the team could allow them to accelerate that timeline.
Harris’ interaction with Rosenstein was brief, but it still gave a glimpse into the Commanders’ thoughts on the uniform redesign process, which Weinstein said he expects to merge the Redskins’ old design with the franchise’s modern color scheme.
“We’re going to get back to our brand,” Harris said. “We have a great brand, great history.”
