How They Got Their Name: Washington Commanders

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The newest name in the NFL is brought to you by the team representing the nation’s capital, the Washington Commanders.  Even though they were known as the Washington Redskins for a grand total of 87 years, it wasn’t the first time the franchise changed its name.  When George Marshall took over the inactive franchise from Boston in 1932, they joined the NFL as the Boston Braves, named after the local Boston baseball team who they shared a field with.  When the team’s home field became Fenway Park the following year, they changed their name to the Boston Redskins.  This lasted until Marshall moved his franchise to Washington D.C. in 1937, after being upset at the lack of fan support in Boston.  This geographic move created the Washington Redskins.

After close to nine decades, however, pressure mounted from different groups of people, including sponsors of the franchise, to change their name from the Redskins.  In July of 2020, all of this pressure resulted in the Washington Redskins turning into, simply, the Washington Football Team.  This name was just a temporary placeholder though, until the franchise could determine a long-term name.  Finally, after two seasons as the “Football Team,” the Washington Commanders were born in February 2022.  It beat out other names such as the Admirals, Sentinels, Defenders, and Red Hogs.  Team president Jason Wright and head coach Ron Rivera were integral in choosing the new name, saying they wanted a name that incorporated the capital city’s ties to the military.  The Washington area is home to the Pentagon, as well as every branch of the military.  The name is also a reference to the U.S. President, who is known as the Commander in Chief.

Garett