Star NFL QB thinks Washington shouldn’t have changed nickname from Football Team to Commanders

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Washington is preparing for its first season as the Commanders, but if one star quarterback had his choice, the franchise would still be known as the Football Team. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said that he liked Washington’s previous nickname, which was created out of necessity in 2020. The Football Team served as Washington’s temporary nickname during the past two season as the franchise began its quest for a permanent option. Burrow, whose rookie season ended after sustaining a serious knee injury against Washington, offered his opinion on the franchise’s name change when asked to revisit the injury. “I got hurt against the Football Team … the Commanders, sorry,” Burrow said on the Full Send Podcast. “I liked the Football Team. … It was supposed to be a bridge name, [but] I liked it.” Burrow doubled down on his affinity for the Football Team nickname when one of the podcast hosts called it “one of the worst names possible.” 

“I loved it,” Burrow said of the name. “Just meat and potatoes.” 

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Burrow isn’t alone in his opinion. A Washington Post poll revealed that 43% of D.C. residents prefer the Football Team over the Commanders, as opposed to 26% who prefer the Commanders. Nearly half of D.C. residents have negative feelings about the franchise’s new name. Washington has already made changes to the recent rebrand. Shortly after the rebrand, the Commanders’ crest was changed to recognize the seasons that the franchise won championships as opposed to the specific calendar year in which the title was won. The change was made following public backlash. 

While opinions on their new nickname vary, the Commanders have bigger issues to worry about. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was recently fined $100,000 by head coach Ron Rivera following his comments on the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capital. Reports then surfaced on Monday that Terry McLaurin, the team’s No. 1 receiver, will skip minicamp amidst a contract dispute.