Hail To The Redskins is dead, and the end of the racist nickname that Daniel Snyder had proclaimed would never be changed is now gone forever. Thank goodness for that.
The nickname of the Washington football team has been an eyesore since founding owner George Preston Marshall first created it in 1933. Activists have been trying since the 1970s to convince the franchise that the name should be mothballed. More than a half-decade ago, Barack Obama said the time had come to leave it behind. But nothing worked until now.
You’ll recall that Snyder, the owner of the Washington organization, said in 2013, “We’ll never change the name. It’s that simple. NEVER—you can use caps.”
But with the police killing of George Floyd in May and the nationwide protests that followed it, with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and a new reckoning for how America has treated and continues to treat people of color, the nickname finally became untenable for even those who said all along that it wasn’t a problem.
Earlier this month, the organization said it would undergo a review of the moniker. On Monday, the team released its decision, writing, “Today, we are announcing we will be retiring the Redskins name and logo upon completion of this review. Dan Snyder and Coach [Ron] Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years.”
It’s worth noting also that the official team news release came with the Redskins team name and logo in the letterhead, a move that some decried as bone-headed and insensitive. The Redskins name also appears seven times in the news release.
But sunnier days are ahead.
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For now, the replacement nickname is unknown, because, as the Washington Post reported, there are trademark issues that need to be settled. But there have been plenty of suggestions, including the Washington Warriors, the Washington RedTails and the Washington Senators.
If you’re so inclined, you can also wager on what the new name might be. The betting favorites include the Presidents (+300, meaning you’d win $300 if you wager $100), the Generals (+400) and the Lincolns (+400). The biggest longshots are the Jeffersons (+700), the Roosevelts (+700), the Monuments (+800), and the Arlingtons (+1000).
Even though the team’s official website is still Redskins.com, big changes are coming to the Washington franchise. And for the rest of the NFL’s teams, which reportedly have been ordered by the league to begin removing the old moniker from their platforms.
It’s not exactly a heroic move for the Washington franchise. Much like in the early 1960s when the team added its first Black player long after the league was desegregated only after the federal government threatened to end the organization’s stadium lease, Snyder was forced into this move because major corporations like FedEx and Nike threatened to cut ties with the team if it kept the nickname.
The public (and corporate) pressure ultimately was too much in 2020, just like the government’s pressure was ultimately too much in 1962.
It’s a move that’s been 50 years in the making, and now, Hail To The Redskins is officially dead. Finally, it’s time to Hail To The Future.
Other NFL News & Notes:
Patriots: As Cam Newton prepares to compete for the starting quarterback job, a couple of interesting salary comparisons have been made for how cheaply New England hired him. Newton, the three-time Pro Bowler who won the league MVP in 2015 while leading the Panthers to the Super Bowl that season, signed a deal that guarantees him only $550,000 with a maximum of $7.5 million for 2020.
As reported by the Undefeated, the $550,000 guarantee is the lowest for a quarterback in 16 years (when Steve McNair still made 11 times that much), and Nathan Peterman, who you might recall threw five interceptions in a half for the Bills in 2017, will make a $2.13 million base salary compared to Newton’s $1.05 million.
And as noticed by the Spotrac Twitter account, Newton could play 16 games for New England, not make the postseason and earn $4 million. But even still, he would get paid $1.5 million less than Case Keenum, who is slated to back up Baker Mayfield in Cleveland.
It should be noted that neither Keenum nor Peterman have ever made a Pro Bowl, won an MVP, or led a team to the Super Bowl. It should also be noted that Newton has never thrown five picks in an entire game, let alone a single half.
Cowboys: Speaking of quarterbacks who aren’t yet getting paid, Dallas has until 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday to sign Dak Prescott to a new deal. Otherwise, he’ll play under the franchise tag and make $31.4 million for the 2020 season.
According to Yahoo, the major sticking point is how many years a long-term contract for Prescott would be, not necessarily the money he would make in a new deal. Failing to follow through on a deal could give Prescott, a good but not necessarily elite quarterback, the chance to explore free agency in 2021.
Cardinals: The NFL plans to play its 2020 season with training camps opening at the end of July, but already, a handful of players have tested positive for coronavirus. Now, an owner has, as well. That would be Michael Bidwell, who owns the Arizona Cardinals and who was released from a Rhode Island hospital on Sunday.
“This week I learned first-hand just how serious COVID-19 is,” Bidwill, who had been traveling for several weeks on the East Coast, said in a statement. “My immense appreciation for all those on the front lines of this pandemic has only increased and I am particularly grateful to the tremendous nurses and doctors at Newport (R.I.) Hospital … I’m very fortunate to have this experience behind me and strongly encourage everyone to continue practicing the important measures to avoid it themselves.”
Seahawks: When tight end Greg Olsen retires, he’s already lined up his next gig. According to the New York Post, Olsen is penciled in to the No. 2 broadcast team for Fox Sports, meaning he’ll be the analyst to play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.
As written by the newspaper, “He was impressive last year doing a Giants game. He also did his homework while teaming with Burkhardt on the XFL … Olsen makes Fox more contemporary, which is important to NFL executives. He has shown he has potential to be very good.”
First, though, Olsen will get to catch passes from Russell Wilson.
NFL Analyst
Josh Katzowitz is a longtime sports writer who covers boxing for Forbes and who previously reported on the NFL for CBSSports.com. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. He’s currently a writer and editor at the Daily Dot. His work has been noted twice in the Best American Sports Writing book series.