Less than 24 hours after the Washington Commanders officially changed hands, the franchise could already be headed for another rebrand. Addressing his new minority stake in the franchise, which Daniel Snyder sold to Joshua Harris for a record $6 billion on Thursday, former NBA star Earvin "Magic" Johnson told "The Today Show" that another team name change is a possibility.
"I think everything's on the table, especially after this year," Johnson said when asked about the future of the "Commanders" nickname. "We'll see where we are with the name, but I can't say [for sure] right now."
Johnson's remarks came after "Today" host Craig Melvin suggested many fans "expressed their displeasure" with the selection of the "Commanders" nickname, which was announced in February 2022 after years of deliberation. Johnson laughed and acknowledged as much, appearing to echo concerns about the team's identity.
A new name wouldn't be unfamiliar in Washington, where the Commanders were also known as the Washington Football Team from 2020-2021. That temporary nickname came after the franchise "retired" its most famous but polarizing "Redskins" nickname, which was used from 1937-2019 despite conflicting opinions from Native American groups about the term.
Prior to the introduction of the Commanders, Washington also teased the "Armada," "Brigade," "Defenders" and "Redhogs" as alternative name possibilities while promoting their rebranding.