Washington to retire Redskins name, logo; new team name TBD
The Washington Redskins are no more.
The club announced Monday that it will officially be retiring its team name - which has been used since 1933 - and logo after it completes its "thorough review" of the franchise's name.
Owner Daniel Snyder and head coach Ron Rivera will be working closely to develop a new name and design prior to the 2020 season, according to the team. Reports indicated Sunday that a new name won't be revealed immediately, as trademark issues are still pending.
Washington began its review of the team's name July 3 after major corporate sponsors - including Nike and FedEx, which owns the naming rights to the franchise's stadium - threatened to cut ties with the organization.
The franchise received recent pushback from FedEx in particular. The company reportedly threatened to remove all signage from the venue unless a change was made.
Washington will become the fifth active franchise to change names while remaining in the same city, following the Chicago Bears in 1922 (formerly the Staleys), the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1940 (formerly the Pirates), the New York Jets in 1963 (formerly the Titans), and the Tennessee Titans in 1999 (formerly the Oilers).
The team reportedly isn't planning to use any Native American imagery in a new nickname.