The debate surrounding the Washington Commanders’ name change has been swirling since the team officially dropped the Redskins moniker in 2020. But recently, it seems that voices in favor of returning to the Redskins name have only grown louder, with fans, players, and even NFL insiders weighing in.
Former Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano and ex-Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat are two notable voices who have expressed their desire for the Redskins name to return. In an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Pagano candidly admitted his support for the return of the Redskins name, saying, “They should go back. That’s why I said it.” According to Fox Sports, Pagano even joked that he’d be first in line to sign a petition for the name change.
Montez Sweat, who was drafted by Washington in 2019 while the team was still known as the Redskins, made his feelings clear as well. In a recent podcast interview, Sweat revealed that he found the transition from Redskins to the Washington Football Team and ultimately to the Commanders “embarrassing.”
He recalled, “I got drafted as a Redskin, then I was a Football Team, and then I was a Commander. Every time I’m like, ‘Bro, why won’t this be the Redskins?’”As mentioned in a previous story at Bounding Into Sports, Sweat said the change stripped the team of its cultural identity, emphasizing that “If it was up to me, we would have just been the Redskins.”
Players aren’t the only ones feeling disconnected from the new name. Fans have also been vocal, with many voicing their frustration online. Polls conducted before the official name change showed that the vast majority of Native Americans did not take offense to the term “Redskins,” with a large portion of NFL fans opposing the name change altogether.
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In September, a Native American group even filed a federal lawsuit against the Commanders, seeking to restore the Redskins name. According to the lawsuit, the group cited defamation and civil conspiracy for suppressing Native American history. The plaintiffs argue that the Redskins name celebrated Native American culture and should never have been changed in the first place.
Though current Commanders owner Josh Harris has made it clear that the return of the Redskins name is unlikely, citing “obvious reasons,” it’s hard to ignore the growing momentum for a rebrand reversal. According to Fox Sports, Harris is focused on “unifying the team and the city,” but for fans like Sweat and Pagano, unifying the team starts with a return to its roots.
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The argument to return to the Redskins name isn’t just about nostalgia—it’s about preserving a legacy that was built over decades.
For players and fans alike, the Redskins were more than just a name; they represented the grit, determination, and cultural identity of one of the NFL’s most storied franchises. While time will tell what Harris and the Commanders ultimately decide, the support for bringing back the Redskins name is clearly still alive and kicking.
And if we’re being honest, wouldn’t it just be nice to call them the Redskins again?
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