Latest news with #Redskins
Washington Post
3 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
New York's ban on Native American mascots in schools runs into Trump
Four months ago, a school district in central New York held a pep rally to unveil a new mascot: a hawk wearing aviator goggles. The school had replaced its controversial 'Redskins' moniker of more than six decades with the 'Skyhawks.' Less than two years earlier, a high school in Upstate New York changed its long-standing 'Indians' nickname to the 'Storm.'
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Hypocrisy or politics? Donald Trump trashes Washington Commanders name but takes ‘Ultimate Commander' jersey
In a headline-grabbing moment at the White House on May 5, President welcomed Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris as part of the city's celebration for being named the host of the 2027 NFL Draft. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But what made the event especially notable was the exchange of a symbolic gift — a custom Commanders jersey — given to Trump just days after he openly criticized the team's name. Donald Trump receives 'Ultimate Commander' jersey while calling former Redskins name 'superior' Despite sparking controversy in late April for calling the original Redskins moniker 'a much superior name,' Trump was presented with a Washington Commanders jersey bearing the title 'Ultimate Commander.' Harris, 60, praised the President, saying: 'You are the ultimate Commander, so, there's your Commanders jersey. There's no bird on it, but we do appreciate you and thank you for everything you've done, and look forward to the future.' The exchange was wrapped in warmth, but it couldn't overshadow Trump's prior comments. On April 24, he told reporters, 'I think it's degrading to the Indian population, and it's a great population, and they like it when they're called by various names.' He added, 'I spoke to people of Indian heritage who love that name and love that team… it had heritage behind it, it had something special.' Celebration of NFL Draft announcement turns into unexpected political and cultural moment Donald Trump's remarks come amid ongoing debates surrounding the renaming of sports teams seen as offensive to Native American communities. Washington changed its name from the Redskins to the Washington Football Team in 2020, and then to the Commanders in 2022. While many welcomed the change as a step toward cultural sensitivity, Trump's remarks struck a nerve — especially among those involved in indigenous advocacy. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Still, in classic Trump fashion, he appeared unfazed during the jersey presentation, even taking time to applaud the team's performance. He praised quarterback Jayden Daniels , the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, saying, 'You have a very good quarterback, a great quarterback, I think.' Daniels has become a breakout star, taking Washington from a struggling 4–13 team to NFC Championship contenders. His performance has reignited fan enthusiasm — and apparently caught Trump's attention. Also Read: The Commanders may have changed their name, but their role in Washington's political and sporting spotlight is as strong as ever.
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump breaks major NFL news with commissioner Roger Goodell
The 2027 NFL Draft is coming to the National Mall at the invitation of President Donald Trump . The 78-year-old football fan made the announcement Monday at the White House Oval Office alongside NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris, Democrat DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and Housing Secretary Scott Turner, a former Redskins defensive back. 'I don't think there's ever been in anything like that,' Trump said of staging the draft on the National Mall. 'That's a good idea... Maybe we could use it for other things also.' Throughout the announcement, Trump's desk was scattered with personalized Washington football memorabilia, including a 'Trump' No. 47 replica jersey. The National Mall is capable of holding several hundred thousands spectators, although the exact capacity for the 2027 NFL Draft has yet to be announced. 'The Mall can actually hold up to a million people,' Trump noted. Washington DC has never hosted the event since it began changing venues in 2015. Previously the draft was primarily held in New York and Philadelphia. Last week's NFL Draft was held in Green Bay, while the 2026 showpiece is being staged in Pittsburgh. Despite some previous friction between Trump and Bowers, the pair appeared jovial during the early portion of Monday's announcement from the Oval Office. However, the good times didn't last long. As Trump took questions about the war in Ukraine, reopening Alcatraz, and an AI generated photo of him as Pope, Bowser looked more and more uncomfortable. She also slowly stepped back, putting physical space between her and the president Washington was selected as draft hosts just days after Bowser announced a plan to bring the team back to the city with a new arena on the site of the old RFK Stadium, where the team then known as the Redskins played until 1996. Currently, RFK Stadium stands on the site on the banks of the Anacostia River in the eastern part of the city. The building has been in the process of a prolonged demolition that has been delayed multiple times. The building was closed back in September 2019, but structural demolition has only begun this year. 'And I don't think there is a better site anywhere in the world than that site,' Trump said Monday, while taking some credit for the plan. 'It sat there for years and people were talking about stadiums and 25 different sites. I said they're not talking about the best site. That's the best site there is.' Last month's announcement from Harris and Bowser came with renderings of what the new stadium might look like - including a clear West-facing façade that offers views straight up East Capitol Street NE toward the US Capitol building and the Washington Monument. The planned construction will see a roof added onto the building, allowing it to be a possible venue for a future Super Bowl. Although not attached to an actual game, the NFL Draft has become a major annual event and even drew 600,000 fans to Green Bay, the NFL's smallest market, last month. And it's even more popular on television, where former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders' dramatic fall from a projected first-round pick to the 144th selection captivated audiences for three days. According to a league statement, an average of 7.3 million viewers watched second- and third-round coverage on Friday night, which marked a 40-percent increase from 2024. Trump, himself, couldn't resist the draft's spotlight and blasted NFL owners online for passing over NFL legend and Colorado coach Deion Sanders's on. 'What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID?' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'Deion Sanders was a great college football player, and was even greater in the NFL. He's also a very good coach, streetwise and smart! 'Therefore, Shedeur, his quarterback son, has PHENOMENAL GENES, and is all set for Greatness. He should be ''picked'' IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!' Trump's message came after the first day of the draft. Sanders would ultimately wait until the third day to be picked by the Cleveland Browns, prompting the President's press secretary to take credit for his entry into the NFL. 'All I will say is the president put out a statement, and a few rounds later he was drafted, so I think the facts speak for themselves,' a grinning White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters last month. Trump has a complicated history with the NFL. He was critical of Goodell and the NFL during his first term as players protested racist police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem. Before picking the Kansas City Chiefs to win February's Super Bowl, the 78-year-old made several doomed attempts at becoming an NFL team owner. In 1983, Trump expressed an interest in buying the Baltimore Colts, who weren't ultimately sold but were relocated to Indianapolis. A year later, Trump had a reported chance to buy the Dallas Cowboys for just $50 million but declined, allowing Jerry Jones to acquire the franchise for $140 million later in the decade. Now the Cowboys rank as the most valuable team in sports with a $9 billion valuation from Forbes. And Trump wasn't only using money to get an NFL team. He also tried using leverage, according to Jeff Pearlman's 2018 book, 'Football for a Buck: The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL. Launched in 1983, the USFL was a spring football league that boasted a surprising array of talent, including future Trump political ally Herschel Walker. One year into the league, Trump would buy Walker's team, the New Jersey Generals, which he'd own until the league went bust in 1986. The USFL's abbreviated history is defined by several clear mistakes, like the decision to add six new franchises after a promising inaugural season in 1983. But perhaps the bigger misstep was choosing to move its season to the fall in 1985 and challenge the NFL directly – a decision that was influenced heavily by Trump. 'In the lead-up to buying the team, he was all about spring football and how great the league was, and, 'I love what the USFL is doing and blah blah blah,' Pearlman told in 2018. 'He gets approved as an owner, he buys the team, and immediately: 'We need to move to fall; we need to take on the NFL.' 'His big line was: 'If God wanted football in the spring, he wouldn't have invented baseball.'' According to interviews conducted by Pearlman, Trump's initial plan was to have the USFL fold and the NFL absorb the Generals as an expansion franchise. However, during a meeting with then-NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle in New York City's Pierre Hotel in 1984, that plan was foiled. 'He basically said to Rozelle,' Pearlman explained, ''I don't really give a [expletive] about the USFL. I want an NFL team. What do I have to do to get in the NFL?'' 'It was basically an offer to throw the USFL under the bus.' Trump did not get the answer he was looking for. 'Rozelle said to him, 'As long as I'm the commissioner, you're never going to have a team,'' Pearlman continued. 'He didn't trust him. He thought he was a scumbag. He didn't say, 'I think you're a scumbag,' but Rozelle made his feelings toward Trump very well known. [Rozelle] also made them well known during the trial when he testified.'
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Commanders Trying to Honor Past While Erasing Redskins Controversy
When Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris was young, the Redskins were one of the most popular and oldest football teams in the world. Their three Super Bowl titles under Hall-of-Fame coach Joe Gibbs was a reminder of how dominant the team was at the height of their powers. And how low the organization has fallen since. Advertisement Ever since Harris bought the team in 2023, the Commanders have been trying to find a way to not only pay homage to the past, but build towards a new future. That includes a name change and a new stadium on the site of the famous RFK Stadium. 'I remember walking down East Capital Street... being eight years old and feeling the stadium would literally move,' Harris said. 'An amazing day for the city. Amazing day for our franchise. 'I was raised here... watching is special.' With the return to RFK (that is, the old site, albeit in a new stadium), there were some Commander fans that were hoping they would also return to the organization's old name that had been around for the near 100 years of the franchise. Advertisement That won't be the case, though. 'We're kind of moving forward the Commanders name. Excited about that and not looking back,' Harris said 'We're going to get as close to our heritage as we can.' That's essentially the tricky part. The Commanders don't want to honor their history. ... fully. They just want to adopt the success the old franchise had before. They'll take the memories built in an old stadium and try to pass that off as an extension into a new stadium. But you can't have it both ways. If the Commanders want to honor the past, simply moving into the old stomping grounds, but keeping their name change, isn't really going to do it. It seems like a half-ditch effort to try and appease the diehard fans who never wanted to see the organization's name changed. Advertisement Now, they have a foot on both sides of the aisle - one side wanting a full homage to their past while another wants to move forward with their new identity. ... in the end a controversial decision to essentially erase the idea of having been the "Redskins.'' ... for better or worse. Related: Commanders Draft Wild-Card Sleeper For Kliff Kingsbury Offense Related: Commanders Jayden Prediction on Sophomore Slump Gets Scrutiny
Fox News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Commanders owner Josh Harris says Redskins name won't return with new stadium: 'Not looking back'
Washington Commanders managing partner Josh Harris is ready to bring the team back to the Washington, D.C., area. However, the team's name is here to stay. The Commanders leaned on nostalgia with their video announcing their agreement to build a new stadium on the site of the old RFK Stadium in Washington, having Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Theismann narrating the video. However, the name Redskins will not be making a return, as Harris explained as much to Bret Baier on "Special Report." "The Commanders' name actually has taken on an amazing kind of element in our building," Harris responded to 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." Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the District of Columbia government and Commanders executives reached a deal to return to the site of RFK Stadium, which is now pending D.C. City Council approval. Congressional lawmakers supported Harris going back to the old stadium site on the condition that the team and NFL would honor the old Redskins logo. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said he would support the organization going forward with its plan after "good faith negotiations" with both entities. "We were calling out leaders in case of really, woke gone wrong," Daines said in November. "The irony that they were canceling Native American culture as the DEI movement went way too far. This is honoring a Blackfeet chief who was born in Montana. He is highly esteemed. The Blackfeet tribe of Montana, their current chairman and tribal council signed a letter in strong support to bring the logo back. It honors Indian Country. "We have good discussions with the NFL and with the Commanders. There's good faith in negotiations going forward that's going to allow this logo to be used again. Perhaps revenues going to a foundation that could help Native Americans in sports and so forth. We're making good progress and, based on the good faith negotiations, I made a decision to support this bill yesterday in the committee." Harris told Baier that the hope is that construction will start on site in 2027, with opening day targeted for 2030. Baier also asked if RFK Stadium will remain the name despite it being a new stadium. "We're going to get as close to our heritage as we can, right? So, I think that name should be a part of it," Harris replied. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
