WASHINGTON: The Washington Redskins have launched a review of the team’s name, the NFL franchise said Friday, following a fresh wave of calls to scrap the moniker long-criticized as racist.
In a statement which came just 24 hours after Washington’s stadium sponsor FedEx demanded a name change, the franchise said it would undertake a “thorough review” of the Redskins tag.
“In light of recent events around our country and feedback from our community, the Washington Redskins are announcing the team will undergo a thorough review of the team’s name,” the team said.
“This review formalizes the initial discussions the has been having with the league in recent weeks.”
Washington owner Dan Snyder had long been resistant to changing the team’s name, which is widely considered offensive to Native Americans.
“We’ll never change the name,” Snyder said in 2018. “It’s that simple. NEVER — you can use caps.”
However following the protests which have swept across the United States following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd at the hands of police on May 25, the Redskins’ name has come under renewed scrutiny.
Reports this week said that FedEx, Nike and PepsiCo. all received letters from 87 investment firms asking the companies and others to sever its ties with the Redskins over the name.
On Thursday, US delivery giant FedEx Corp. — which paid $205 million to the Redskins in 1998 for the naming rights to the team’s stadium — confirmed it had requested the team change its name.
“We have communicated to the team in Washington our request that they change the team name,” FedEx said in a one-sentence statement.
Team owner Snyder said on Friday the team planned to canvas opinion from across the community in its name change review.
“This process allows the team to take into account not only the proud tradition and history of the franchise but also input from our alumni, the organization, sponsors, the NFL and the local community it is proud to represent on and off the field,” Snyder said.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell meanwhile welcomed the move, revealing the league had been engaged in extensive discussions with Washington about the matter.
“In the last few weeks we have had ongoing discussions with Dan and we are supportive of this important step,” Goodell said in a statement.
Washington head coach Ron Rivera, one of only a handful of minority head coaches in the NFL, was also supportive of the move.
“This issue is of personal importance to me and I look forward to working closely with Dan Snyder to make sure we continue the mission of honoring and supporting Native Americans and our Military,” Rivera said in a statement.
Redskins announce review of name after sponsor threat
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Redskins announce review of name after sponsor threat
- Washington owner Dan Snyder has long been resistant to changing the team’s name, which is widely considered offensive to Native Americans
- Following protests over the death of unarmed black man George Floyd at the hands of police on May 25, the Redskins’ name has come under renewed scrutiny
Djokovic ready to suffer one more time in Australian Open final
- Serbian veteran must fire up his weary body one more time with history at stake
- Novak Djokovic is striving to win a record-extending 11th Melbourne crown
MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic compared his five-set Australian Open semifinal takedown of Jannik Sinner to winning a Grand Slam and now the Serbian veteran must fire up his weary body one more time with history at stake on Sunday.
The 38-year-old stunned two-time champion Sinner to set up a bumper final on Rod Laver Arena against world number one Carlos Alcaraz, who is 16 years his junior.
The Spaniard was also forced through five sets to beat Alexander Zverev, spending more than five hours on court.
Both men are aiming to etch their names in tennis history.
Djokovic is striving to win a record-extending 11th Melbourne crown and with it a 25th major title to finally surpass Margaret Court’s long-standing landmark.
Should he do so, he will also become the oldest man to lift the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup at the Australian Open.
The 22-year-old Alcaraz has already won six Grand Slams and is bidding to become the youngest man to complete a career sweep of all four majors.
Fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who is in Melbourne, did it at 24.
“My preparation is as it should be, and I won against him last year here, you know, also in a grueling match,” said Djokovic, who will be making a first major finals appearance since Wimbledon in 2024.
“Let’s see. Let’s see how fresh are we both able to be.
“He also had a big match, but he has 15, 16 years on me. You know, biologically I think it’s going to be a bit easier for him to recover.”
The fourth seed last claimed a Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2023 with Sinner and Alcaraz dominating since.
Recovery will be key, with Alcaraz cramping badly against Zverev, where he battled back from a 5-3 deficit in the fifth set.
“Obviously my body could be better, to be honest, but I think that’s normal after five hours and a half,” he said after the grueling test, suggesting he may have an abductor issue.
“Hopefully it’s not going to be anything at all, but after five-hours-and-a-half match and that high level physically, I think the muscles are going to be tight.
“I just got to do whatever it takes to be as good as I can for the final.”
Djokovic leads 5-4 in their head-to-heads, but the margins have often been razor-thin.
Alcaraz won their most recent clash, at the US Open last year, but Djokovic came out on top at the Australian Open in 2025 with a gutsy four-set quarter-final victory.
Regardless of what happens, Alcaraz will remain world number one and Sinner two, with Djokovic moving up a place to three ahead of Zverev.
