There was a significant external push for Washington to drop the Redskins nickname, but it appears there was an internal push for it as well.
According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell pushed Washington owner Dan Snyder “very hard” to change the name. Goodell had been more subtle in previous efforts to get Snyder to drop the name, but decided to go “full force” in light of the current discussion about racism in America.
To be clear, Goodell may have played a part, but external pressure may have been an even bigger factor. Multiple retailers stopped carrying the team’s merchandise, and FedEx, who own the stadium naming rights, also publicly urged the team to drop the nickname. Between the public and private pressure, Snyder was ultimately left with little choice.
We’re still waiting to find out what the new nickname will be, reportedly because there are issues securing the trademark.
