AP source: Ex-Redskins become 'Washington Football Team'

Cover Image
Photo credit FILE - This Nov. 12, 2017, file photo shows Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder walking across the field before an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings in Landover, Md. Snyder has hired a D.C. law firm to review the Washington NFL team's culture, policies and allegations of workplace misconduct. Beth Wilkinson of Wilkinson Walsh LLP confirmed to The Associated Press that the firm had been retained to conduct an independent review. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

The NFL team formerly known as the Redskins will go by the Washington Football Team until a new name is chosen, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Thursday because the temporary name had not yet been announced. It was not immediately clear how quickly the team would choose a new, full-time name.

Washington will keep its burgundy and gold colors and replace the Indian head logo on helmets with a player’s jersey number. ESPN was first to report the placeholder name.

Owner Dan Snyder recently dropped the Redskins name amid pressure from sponsors and after decades of criticism from Native American advocacy groups. On Monday, he hired Terry Bateman as executive vice president and chief marketing officer to oversee the name change and re-branding process.

The franchise that began in Boston in 1932 had the name Redskins since 1933.

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