Change is now coming in Washington. On Monday July 14th the football team in Washington announced that they will be retiring the Redskins name and logo. Then on Thursday the 23rd the team announced they will now be known as the “Washington Football Team” until they decide on a new name for the team.So that begs the question, what should the new permanent name be? Many other diehard and loyal fans and I of the team have been brainstorming on social media in recent days, and there is one that someone brought up about a week and a half ago that I think is the best: the Washington Redwolves. Now, why the Redwolves? It has connections to both the military and Native American culture. For the military connection, there was a Navy helicopter squadron nicknamed the “Red Wolves” that assisted Navy SEAL teams. They were in service for almost 40 years. For the Native American connection, wolves are very prominent in most Native American cultures and mythologies. In most tribes the wolf is seen as a symbol of strength, loyalty, and courage. That is the perfect way to honor Native Americans while getting rid of a term that is considered racist. Then of course there are many cool things you can do with the rebrand and a new logo, uniforms, etc. The defense could be nicknamed “The Wolfpack,” the new stadium that will eventually be built could be nicknamed “The Den,” and there would be tens of thousands of howling fans in the stands.

Perhaps the biggest thing is that red wolves are a critically endangered species. They were once found as far north as New York, as far south as the Gulf of Mexico, and as far west as Oklahoma and Texas. But as of 2019 there were only an estimated 14 left in the wild. Naming the football team in Washington would bring tons of awareness to this wonderful species and there are tons of charitable work that the organization can do to benefit these animals.

Tons of fans have gotten behind this movement on social media. Former Washington cornerback Fred Smoot, current Washington defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, and ESPN’s Jay Williams have all voiced their support for this name. This would reinvigorate a fan base that has been getting more and more fed up with the team these last few years to the point where at times last season there were more fans of the visiting team than Washington fans in the stands at FedEx Field.

I believe that renaming the team the Washington Redwolves is the best of all worlds and could make every side satisfied and happy.

 

 

Note: This name was not my original idea. I saw it suggested by a fellow Washington fan on Twitter and simply chose to write about it. The idea was first brought up by either @RedwolvesMania or @bentleyhaskins on Twitter. Can’t remember which one said it first. The concept logo was made by @DCsportsXP on Twitter and Instagram.