Commanders Aim to Honor Franchise Legacy at New Stadium

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Washington Commanders managing partner Josh Harris is planning to transform the RFK Stadium site into a new state-of-the-art stadium by 2030. The franchise aims to return to the nation’s capital as part of a project meant to honor its legacy.

One of the critical components in securing support from federal lawmakers is acknowledging the history of the franchise when it was known as the Redskins and recognizing the Native American family that inspired the original logo. In November, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., emphasized this point during an interview on Fox News Channel’s “America Reports.”

Former Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann, a Super Bowl champion, shared his hopes on how the Commanders can honor their history. “I think Josh Harris and his group are certainly well aware of what the Redskins were,” Theismann told Fox News Digital. “It’s a dream come true for him, and it would be a great honor to continue to honor the Native Americans and the tribes involved.”

Theismann also recalled the significance of wearing the uniform, saying, “It was an honor for me to represent the Washington Redskins, the Native Americans of this country. We won a Super Bowl, and I was given a chief’s headdress. It would be nice again to sort of connect the old with the new.”

While Harris has confirmed that the Commanders name will remain, Theismann believes it is essential for the current team to forge its own legacy. “Let this group of guys called the Commanders establish their own legacy,” he said. “We had one, now it’s their turn to establish theirs.”

The original logo used by the Washington Redskins was designed by Blackie Wetzel, inspired by Blackfoot chief John Two Guns White Calf. That logo represented the franchise from 1972 until 2020. The descendants of Two Guns White Calf have expressed a desire for the image to return to the NFL.

Theismann made these comments ahead of a golf tournament appearance at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Club, which is set to take place July 9-13.