After a week of waiting for official word, it’s officially official: the Washington NFL team’s nickname is no more.
The franchise announced in a release on Monday morning that a review of the team name has resulted in the Redskins name and logo being “retired.” It also says that owner Dan Snyder and head coach Ron Rivera “are working closely to develop a new name and design.”
But NFL fans, reporters and others have spent Monday morning ripping the actual announcement itself for a bunch of things that we’ll get into, because of course the perpetually bungling franchise couldn’t even get this right.
Let’s start with the fact that the release came from @Redskins and from Redskins letterhead:
"We are officially retiring the name and logo"
Proceeds to use team name and logo in letterhead https://t.co/f5o4s1xyin
— John Healy (@jphealy) July 13, 2020
The Redskins name is retired.
– signed, the Washington Redskins
– tweeted from Washington Redskins https://t.co/UEQ2QRS64B— David Gardner (@byDavidGardner) July 13, 2020
Release only mentions “Redskins” 6 times while also including the logo…what a way to move past this racist name & logo. Why not at least change or remove the letterhead? 🤦♂️ https://t.co/azoh5wrAhY
— Sean Carroll (@SeanCarrollNews) July 13, 2020
With the name and logo still on the letterhead, the Washington Redskins say "we will be retiring the Redskins name and logo" https://t.co/ukgW9p31NJ
— Amanda Golden (@amandawgolden) July 13, 2020
Or the use of the phrase “retiring.”
I like how they get to say they're "retiring" the nickname. "Racial slur, you've done so much good work for us all these years. And now you get to go spend quality time with your family. Here's a boat."
— Drew Magary (@drewmagary) July 13, 2020
Redskins
Redskins Park
Redskin Park Drive
Statement from the Redskins“We’re retiring the name Redskins.”
You’re gonna have to retire a lot more than that, and this is all info I’ve gathered just from the press release alone https://t.co/UvO4LSMyZn
— Mike Sivo (@mikeisverynice) July 13, 2020
Or the fact that they mentioned that the old name wanted “to keep our sponsors, fans and community apprised of our thinking” and the new name would “inspire our sponsors, fans and community.”
I love the honesty of "sponsors" going before "fans" and "community". https://t.co/g9gvPn7M0s
— Paul Pabst (@PaulPabst) July 13, 2020
Dan Snyder tells on himself: Sponsors come before fans. Twice. pic.twitter.com/WJHU307E9Y
— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) July 13, 2020
They literally put sponsors first. https://t.co/tSbEvfJ6dZ
— Jeff Asher (@Crimealytics) July 13, 2020
The name change isn’t off to a great start.
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