The Washington Commanders sale is now complete, and Dan Snyder is out as the NFL franchise’s longtime owner. Josh Harris and his group are now in, and one of the first moves may be changing the team name, giving the Washington team its fourth moniker since 2020. A Commanders name change would wipe the slate clean after the disastrous Snyder Era and give the organization a fresh start. If it does happen, here are the best options for the new name, ranked.
Snyder refused to change the offensive Redskins name for years, and when he finally did, he went with the annoyingly generic Washington Football Team and the Commanders, which no one seemed to like. Now, with Josh Harris and his ownership group taking over, there is a “pretty good chance” they change the name to wash away the sins of the past and get a fresh start, according to ESPN reporter Don Van Natta. It is too late to do it for the 2023 NFL season, but if the Washington [fill in the new name]s took the field in 2024, it wouldn't be a surprise.
5. Washington Monuments
The Washington Monument is one of the most iconic symbols in Washington D.C., which would make it a solid fit for the NFL team’s nickname after a Commanders name change. Also, NFL football players these days are the size of monuments, so it could work on multiple levels.
That said, there are some better options. Plus, Ted Leonsis, the owner of the Washington Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics, runs the parent company of all these teams and his TV network which is called Monumental Sports & Entertainment. So, this name is somewhat taken.
Otherwise, the Monuments is a fun name and a unique one, but it probably won’t make the cut.
4. Washington Presidents
Washington D.C. is the seat of political power in the United States and is even named after our first president, George Washington. There isn’t a more fitting (albeit on-the-nose) name for the football team than the Presidents.
As for the logo, maybe it is the White House or even a silhouette of POTUS No. 1, old GW himself.
This could be a little dicey, though, as the office has become polarizing in the last few decades. Still, paying tribute to the person who runs the country and the area the team plays in would make a lot of sense.
3. Washington Armada
When Dan Snyder settled on Commanders the last time around, most of the names of the Vegas betting favorites list were military-related. That makes some sense, with Washington being the home of the Pentagon. But it’s hard not to think it was mostly driven by Snyder and his Napoleon complex.
Defenders, Admirals, Sentinals, and Brigade are all pretty generic from the last time around, so hopefully, they are out this time after the Commanders sale.
The Armada is a cool Naval name that brings to mind monster military battleships that move together in an ominous formation, much like a football team. It would produce a cool battleship logo and be one of the few team sports names without an “s” at the end.
2. Washington Hogs/Red Hogs
Animal nicknames are pretty played out in all sports, and the NFL certainly doesn’t need another jungle cat or local bird-related team.
That said, Washington has an opportunity to dip back into its history and use an animal that no one else in major pro sports is using the mighty pig!
The name Hogs — and ensuing Hogette fans — comes from the nickname of the dominating Washington offensive line of the 80s and 90s. Naming the team after legends like Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby, Jeff Bostic, Jim Lachey, Mark May, and Mark Schlereth, who led the franchise to three Super Bowls in a decade is a fitting tribute and a unique animal name.
1. Washington Red Tails
The best name Josh Harris and company could choose for the Washington Football franchise is the Red Tails.
The name pays tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, the famed group of Black World War II fighter and bomber pilots. These pilots painted the tails of their planes red, earning the nickname, Red Tails.
This nickname accomplishes everything Harris and his group — which includes prominent Black minority owners like Magic Johnson — want to do with this Commanders name change.
It fully wipes away the Dan Snyder Era, having no relation to the Washington Football Team or the Commanders. It is also a hat tip to the good ol’ football days of the Redskins, while honoring another marginalized group instead of insulting it.
Finally, the WWII plane logo that would come of it will look pretty sweet.
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