Latest news with #DanielSnyder
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
President Donald Trump has perfect response on Commanders name
You can add President Donald Trump to the list of those who don't like the Washington Commanders' name. Speaking to the media outside his plane on Sunday, Trump was directly asked if the franchise should change their name back to the Redskins. Advertisement 'Well, you want me to make a controversial statement? I would,' Trump replied, via Chris Bumbaca of USA TODAY. 'I wouldn't have changed the name. It just doesn't have the same, it doesn't have the same ring to me." Here's the video clip: After his first statement regarding the name, President Trump offered a realistic take on the controversial nickname. 'But, you know, winning can make everything sound good. So if they win, all of a sudden the Commanders sounds good, but I wouldn't have changed the name,' he said. He's right. There will never be a unanimous opinion one way or the other on Washington's name. Some fans will never accept the name, even if they still root for the team. There's the side that's just happy Daniel Snyder is gone and the franchise has a star quarterback, looking set up to win for a long time. Advertisement Neither opinion is wrong. The team has said the name is not changing. Last season's success contributed to the increase in attendance, as evidenced by Jayden Daniels' jersey becoming a bestseller. If you are winning and you have a marketable star, it outweighs everything else. The name became less of a topic once the on-field product became good. Trump also discussed Washington's stadium situation, saying he would get involved if needed to ensure the Commanders return to D.C. at the RFK Stadium site. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: President Trump has perfect response on Commanders name
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump ramps up pressure on Commanders, Guardians team owners to change nicknames
President Donald Trump implored the owners of the NFL's Washington Commanders and MLB's Cleveland Guardians to revert to the organizations' old nicknames in a social media post. Daniel Snyder changed Washington's team name from the Washington Redskins to the Washington Football Team before the start of the 2020 season amid a summer of racial tensions. The team eventually became the Washington Commanders, and Snyder sold the team to Josh Harris. In July 2021, team owner Paul Dolan announced the Cleveland Indians would become the Cleveland Guardians. Cleveland had been known as the Indians since 1915. Dolan previously said the decision to explore the name change came from "an awakening or epiphany" after the death of George Floyd. Regardless, the push to keep Native American team names has been strong, particularly with the Commanders' organization. Trump already expressed his belief that the Commanders made a mistake when they changed the name from the Redskins. "The Washington 'Whatever's' should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday. "Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past. "Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. Times are different now than they were three or four years ago. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!" Harris said on Fox News Channel's "Special Report" in April that the team would not bring back the Redskins name even with plans to build a new stadium in Washington, D.C. "The Commanders' name actually has taken on an amazing kind of element in our building," Harris responded to Bret Baier's question about the Redskins name coming back as part of this new stadium deal. "So, the people that certain types of players that are tough, that love football, are delegated Commanders and Jayden [Daniels], for example, is a Commander, and they're ranked. "And, you know, the business staff has gotten into it, and obviously, we're in a military city here. There's more military personnel than anywhere else, so we're kind of moving forward with the Commanders name, excited about that, and not looking back." Guardians team officials have made no indication that the old name would return. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Von Miller is a luxury item for a Commanders team that can afford one
The Washington Commanders' agreement to sign Von Miller provided another signpost of the franchise's sudden ascent. One year ago, the Commanders were a digging out of the smoldering crater left by Daniel Snyder's stewardship. They are now the kind of contender that can sensibly go shopping for luxury items, able to woo a former star player, whom they don't need, for a singular purpose.
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Five years ago was a historic day for Washington's NFL franchise
Much has transpired in the last five years regarding the Commanders. July 12, 2021, Washington Football Team President Jason Wright, who was responsible for the business side of the NFL franchise, announced that the NFL team would not consider "Warriors" as its next permanent name. The previous July, the shocking news that the franchise was dropping the name "Redskins" floored many NFL fans across the nation. Most in the District, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) were very upset with the decision, feeling betrayed by then-owner Daniel Snyder, who had once boldly proclaimed he would never change the name from "Redskins." The 2020 and 2021 seasons were played under the name of the "Washington Football Team." A team being named the team? Yes, it was redundant, and yes, initially it was laughed at and mocked by more than a few sports commentators. Wright disqualified the name "Warriors" and said the NFL team's new name would have "no ties to Native American imagery," following conversations with Native American leaders. How thorough were those conversations? Thinking people were left to ask, "If many Native Americans were not offended by 'Redskins,' why would they be offended by 'Warriors?' If that wasn't enough, remember the new Washington Football Team policy that was announced that summer of 2021? The owner and president were going to show everyone who was boss so they proclaimed they would no longer allow fans to wear "Native American inspired" dress inside their home stadium, including headdresses and face paint. Oh, that went over really well! After all "Redskins" fans easily pointed to how the Kansas City Chief fans could wear headdresses and face paint and even engage in mindless war chants associated with Native Americans, keep their team name "Chiefs" but Washington fans were going to face the wrath of the gatekeepers preventing anything to do with their "Redskins" past. What a summer it was five years ago for Washington fans. But for now, we again have a winning team with excellent leadership, which makes it much easier to deal with than the inferior branding that we enjoyed for decades.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Washington minority owner, FedEx founder, dies at 80
Frederick Wallace Smith, founder of FedEx, passed away this weekend at 80 years old. Smith is a former minority owner of the Washington Commanders, then the Redskins, from 2003 until 2021, when he and two other minority partners sold their combined 40% back to then-majority owner Daniel Snyder. Smith is best known for founding Federal Express in 1971 using his $4 million inheritance. He remained with FedEx as CEO until 2022 and remained an executive chairman after stepping down. Smith unsuccessfully tried to land an NFL expansion team in Memphis, Tenn., during the early 1990s. However, the NFL awarded the league's newest franchises to Charlotte, N.C. (Carolina Panthers) and Jacksonville, Fla. (Jaguars). Before he purchased a minority stake in the then-Redskins, Smith signed a 27-year deal with the team to rename it FedEx Field. The stadium, now known as Northwest Stadium, had operated as Jack Kent Cooke Stadium from its 1997 opening until 1999, when it became FedEx Field. FedEx exercised its option to end the agreement two years early in 2024 when Josh Harris bought the team from Snyder. Smith's split from Washington was nasty. He, Dwight Schar, and Robert Rothman hired a firm to explore selling their 40% stake in the team. This came at the same time as Snyder was facing public pressure again to change the team's name. During this period, FedEx released a statement informing the team it wanted the name changed. Snyder finally relented to the public pressure, and in the summer of 2020, the Redskins became the Washington Football Team. Later in 2020, Smith, Schar and Rothman sued Snyder in federal court, accusing Snyder of interfering with investors willing to pay around $900 million for their shares. The Commanders released the following statement on Smith's passing: Smith's son, Arthur, is the current offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers and a former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Former Washington owner, FedEx founder Frederick Smith, dies at 80
