2/2/22 is a special day for many reasons - especially if you're into numbers - but if you're into football, it's the day the Washington Football Team got their long-anticipated, non-placeholder name: the Washington Commanders.
One legacy. One unified future.
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) February 2, 2022
We are the Washington Commanders #TakeCommand pic.twitter.com/Eav9NOV5Mm
The future of Washington football is here #TakeCommand pic.twitter.com/MwkCLTkVAA
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) February 2, 2022
It's been quite a journey to get here. The team, originally known as the Washington 'Redskins,' came under fire in recent years for the derogatory nature of that term in its depiction of Native Americans. After failing to agree on a new name by an established deadline, the team revealed it would call itself the Washington Football Team in the interim. Pat McAfee actually provided a pretty good synopsis of that journey.
Ladies & gentlemen we are now in the era of the Washington Commanders#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE #TakeCommand pic.twitter.com/GFomyPnTBw
— ?at McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 2, 2022
Below is the helicopter footage that McAfee is referring to. The reveal of Washington's name change was, perhaps, the most Washingtonian thing ever - in that it was a giant mess that surprised no one and that everyone saw coming, but did nothing to prevent.
The Washington "Commanders" name change just got spoiled by a helicopter reporter
— Yahoo Sports NFL (@YahooSportsNFL) February 2, 2022
(via @chopper4brad)pic.twitter.com/oJX9XtNa87
Team owner Dan Snyder even joked about the leaks during his official announcement:
Dan Snyder - “Welcome to not the best kept secret in Washington…We are the Washington Commanders” pic.twitter.com/nhcBX2gpQc
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) February 2, 2022
Unsurprisingly, the internet was not kind to a team that took the better part of two years and, presumably, spent at least a few million dollars to come up with what sounds like the name of a thousand struggling high school football teams across the nation.
The Washington Commanders sounds like one of those generic names the relocation teams get in Madden.
— step-father time (@Father_T) January 27, 2022
Washington Commanders is like when the movie can’t get the rights to use an actual team so they throw something quick out there and hope it just doesn’t cause too much confusion
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) February 2, 2022
Cleveland Guardians: cool, retains phonics of old name while stripping out racial stereotypes, honors neat part of local history
— actioncookbook (@actioncookbook) February 2, 2022
Washington Commanders: we made a movie about a football team but did not pay the NFL for licensing
People were not excited.
The Washington Commanders have a “new” logo. pic.twitter.com/EWfQnsxoCm
— Randy Scott (@RandyScottESPN) February 2, 2022
Washington Commanders?!?! pic.twitter.com/psS0CQjBsS
— Meezerpocalypse (@AlBlockYu1) February 2, 2022
this is a better team name than the Washington Commanders pic.twitter.com/tadcaKdE6m
— Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) February 2, 2022
Perhaps most hilariously though, many folks pointed out that the new name has a pretty hilarious/unfortunate abbreviation:
Gonna call the Washington Commanders the "Commies" and see how it goes
— Michael Taylor (@MichaelDanger19) January 27, 2022
Rebranding is always gonna be tough and I think “The Washington Commanders” is a good name..
— ?at McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 2, 2022
Now of course.. They’re gonna be called The Commies.. they’re red.. in the Nation’s capital but nonetheless.. Commanders is a good name
let’s not focus on whether the Washington Commanders is a good name but instead focus on the fact a red and yellow team located in Washington DC named itself something that can be shortened to Commies
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) February 2, 2022
focus on the hilarious aspect of NO ONE realizing this over 2 years pic.twitter.com/b1b5pCcYiC
We can't wait to see what kind of hapless ineptitude Washington cooks up next season.
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