D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is seizing the moment, using the announcement of the newly rebranded Washington Commanders to call on the team to return to the nation's capital.
The Washington Football Team — a placeholder name for the past two seasons after the team abandoned its former "Redskins" moniker in July 2020 — announced its new permanent name, the Washington Commanders, on Wednesday morning.
Mayor Bowser issued the following statement afterwards: "Washington's football franchise has had a storied history, and we are excited that today they will begin a new, necessary chapter as the Washington Commanders. Sports mean so much to our civic pride and are an essential part of our economic engine, creating jobs & opportunities for our residents and revenue to fund essential services. But for our football team, every major sports franchise in the region calls DC home. The next chapter for the Washington Commanders should be a return to winning, right here in DC."
The District was previously the home of the Washington Redskins for 59 years, until the team moved to FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland beginning with the 1997 season. The Redskins called Griffith Stadium home from the time it moved to D.C. from Boston in 1937 until 1960. They moved to RFK Stadium in 1961 and would stay there through 1996.
Mayor Bowser's overture comes at a time in which Virginia, under newly elected Governor Glenn Youngkin, has initiated a strong push to move the team to the Commonwealth. The former Redskins moniker was a major sticking point for D.C. lawmakers in recent years, stopping conversations about a potential move back to the District dead in their tracks. With that name officially in the past, it seems Bowser is ready to move forward in re-engaging with the team under its new name, Commanders.
Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder has insisted his organization has big plans for building a new stadium. However, he'll need to lock in a location quickly as the team's current lease at FedEx Field is set to expire in 2027.
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