Washington rules out Warriors as future team name
The Washington Football Team has scratched off Warriors as a potential new team name.
Team president Jason Wright said in a statement Monday the club plans to move forward "with no ties to Native American imagery" after engaging with Native American leaders and individuals.
"I want to address a name that has emerged amongst our fanbase: 'Warriors.' One might look at this name as a natural and even harmless transition considering that it does not necessarily or specifically carry a negative connotation," Wright wrote. "But as we learned through our research and engagement with various groups, 'context matters,' and that makes it a 'slippery slope.'"
Wright added: "Feedback from across communities we engaged clearly revealed deep-seated discomfort around 'Warriors,' with the clear acknowledgment that it too closely aligns with Native American themes.
"Such an embrace of potentially Native-adjacent iconography and imagery would not represent a clear departure that many communities have so forcefully advocated for us to embrace, and that, frankly, we set out to do when we started this process a year ago."
Washington asked season-ticket holders for input on Warriors, as well as other possible names, earlier this year. Rubies, Pilots, Wild Hogs, and Aces were also among the options.
Washington plans to unveil a new team name and logo in early 2022.