Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris was asked about the team’s current nickname and whether it was going to stay the way it was for the foreseeable future on Sunday.
Marjorie Harris, Josh’s wife, said in May a possible change was “on the side,” and Josh put a damper on the team going back to the Redskins last September.
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Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris looks on from the sidelines prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers at FedExField on Dec. 31, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
On Sunday, he made clear the Redskins name is not coming back.
“For obvious reasons, the old name can’t come back,” Harris told reporters, via The Athletic. “But right now, we’re focused on things to unify the team around our football team and unify the city around our football team. The first objective is we gotta start winning football games, and we need everyone supporting the team and not things that will drive people apart.
“Secondly, obviously, we’re trying to find a new home. Again, unifying (the) city around that is important and so, the name is one of those things that have a lot of opinions … but I certainly haven’t forgotten about it. Like I said, I grew up here. So, I understand it.”
Dan Quinn of the Washington Commanders, left, poses for a photo with managing partner Josh Harris following a press conference at OrthoVirginia Training Center at Commanders Park on Feb. 5, 2024 in Ashburn, Virginia. (Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)
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Harris added that fans will see things that honor the past history of the franchise – just not the name.
“We are doing research, and we’re thinking about it. But right now, we’re prioritizing the things that we’ve talked about and that’s kind of the rationale for it.”
The team announced it would be the Commanders before the 2022 season, moving on from the Washington Football Team and the Washington Redskins.
However, the Commanders faced a lawsuit in September 2023 from the Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) over the nickname change. New head coach Dan Quinn also wore a T-shirt that featured the feather on the original Redskins logo and the new “W” in the Commanders logo.
Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris high-fives fans before his team’s game against the Arizona Cardinals at FedExField on Sept. 10, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Former team owner Daniel Snyder changed the name to the Washington Football Team from the Redskins in the midst of a summer of racial tension in the U.S.
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However, NAGA has been leading the charge in pushing back on the negativity surrounding the name.
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