Most major television networks have left it up to their television personalities on whether they want to use the term “Redskins” this season or not. With increasing pressure from politicians and other influential groups, the Washington Redskins seem destined to change their nickname at some point. The process might be accelerated if people just stop using it.
“My very first thought is it will be Washington the whole game,” Simms told The Associated Press, via NBC 4 Washington. “I never really thought about it, and then it came up and it made me think about it. There are a lot of things that can come up in a broadcast, and I am sensitive to this.”
Dungy, who is a major staple of the NBC Sunday Night Football telecast, agrees.
“I will personally try not to use Redskins and refer to them as Washington,” Dungy said. “Personal opinion for me, not the network.”
But for every Simms and Dungy, there are plenty of broadcasters and analysts who say they will commit to using the term Redskins as long as that is the name of the team.
“There are so many Redskins fans that take great pride in the name,” CBS’ Rich Gannon, who spent a season playing in Washington, said. “(Owner) Daniel Snyder has said he’s talked and visited with (many) American Indian nations who are supportive of the name. And there are those who oppose it who are being heard. It’s an important topic.”
Jim Nantz, Boomer Esiason, Solomon Wilcots and Troy Aikman also said they will continue to call the Redskins by name until it is no longer their name.
There are even some prominent former Redskins players who believe owner Daniel Snyder should change the name of his franchise, but Snyder has refused to back down. In fact, Snyder recently bought some “Keep the Name” T-shirts from a street vendor. Still, I believe it is only a matter of time before he is forced to fold.
