Adam Hunger/Associated Press

Washington Football Team Name Has 'Pretty Good Chance' of Staying Same in 2021

Scott Polacek

Fans might want to get used to the Washington Football Team as the NFC East club's nickname for at least the immediate future.

Washington team president Jason Wright spoke with Scott Abraham of WJLA and explained changing the nickname is a long process. As a result, the name might stick for at least another season.

"I think next year is fast because of how the brand has to come together through uniforms, through approval processes through the league," Wright said. "Next year is fast. There is a pretty good chance we will still be the Washington Football Team next season. We could get there quicker, it's actually pretty hard to get there that quickly because of all the steps that need to happen."

Wright delved into some of the process while breaking down why a name change is not on the immediate horizon:

"Everybody needs to take a deep breath. It's not coming tomorrow. It's a business decision, we need to understand that market. More importantly, it's important to engage the community and the fans. We're also in the process of identifying the folks that should weigh in over time. We want this name and brand to represent the entire area, to represent the fan base, but to also attract new folks to this fan base. We want to grow this fan base as part of our new identity."

As ESPN noted, Washington retired its previous nickname that was in place for 87 years on July 13.

The organization underwent a review of the previous name and saw pressure from sponsors and investors who called for a change. FedEx, which sponsors the team's stadium, was among those companies that asked for a different nickname.

While the franchise evaluates its next move when it comes to the name, there is also plenty of uncertainty about the product on the field.

Washington is just 1-5 under first-year head coach Ron Rivera and is coming off five losses in a row. Rivera benched quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who was the No. 15 overall pick of last year's draft, but Kyle Allen hasn't exactly been stellar in his place.

There is some young talent to build around in Chase Young, Terry McLaurin and others, but what the team will be called in the future and when it will enjoy a winning season still remains very much in doubt.

   

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