The Redskins today intend to announce that they will retire the nickname, sources said. The move comes 11 days after stadium naming-rights sponsor FedEx’s public statement asking for a change to the controversial moniker. The new nickname will not be announced immediately because trademark issues are pending, the sources said, but insiders were told today that the “thorough review” announced July 3 has concluded. The team felt it was important to remove any doubts as to the future of the name, one source said.
The timeline for announcing a new name was unclear, but the sense of urgency inside the organization is clear. In a private letter on the same day as its public statement, FedEx threatened to take its name off the team’s Landover, Md., stadium after the end of the season if the name was not changed. Pepsi, Bank of America and Nike later joined with their own public statements, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also said he was supportive of the review. A team spokesperson did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
The network morning shows all teased the anticipated announcement, with NBC's "Today" airing the headline in its opening segment: “New Name.” ABC's "GMA" went with “NFL Name Change?” and "CBS This Morning" used “Renaming the Redskins?” All three shows aired reports in the first hour of their broadcasts, with NBC’s Savannah Guthrie: “The Redskins reveal they’ll drop their controversial nickname.” ABC’s T.J. Holmes noted this comes “after growing pressure from fans and sponsors.” CBS’ Tony Dokoupil said it is a nickname "critics have called racist for decades."
