Washington Uniform Reveal on the Horizon

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April 10, 2026

by David Earl

Redskins vs Commanders: Fan Base Divided

 

 

Let’s walk this road again, because as a lifelong Redskins fan this cannot be said enough. The Redskins name carried a long history of not just honor and pride among the fans and many Native Americans – the name itself became a generational symbol of family and unity. In one of the harshest areas of our country because of its political landscape, the Redskins name was something that always brought families of all generations together. It wasn’t a name that many looked at as a slur, as others who were uninformed looked upon the false origin of the word “Redskin”. In fact, the name itself didn’t carry the weight from its true origins from the Native American people themselves into these younger generations which carried an honorable and prideful meaning.

None of that mattered as the Redskins were a team rich in history and pride that became more than just a name but of lore in many fans. The symbolism of the name ran deep in the veins of the fans passing from generation to generation which brought together families, friends, and complete strangers during the game time experience. The name held great sentiment within most of the fanbase, which never once showing hatred or disrespect to Native Americans (many of whom felt a great loss after “Redskins” was retired) by using a caricature as a logo or waving our hands doing the tomahawk chop. The fans also embraced the logo designed in 1972 by Walter “Blackie” which depicted John Two Guns White Calf, a celebrated Blackfoot Chief. It stands to reason why the majority of the older fan base have not just simply settled for the current name and will not be pressured to accept a name just because society deems it necessary.

There are older fans who continue stand firmly on their principles, especially when faced with younger fans who have known nothing but misery as Redskins fans. Fully incorporating the past with the future is equally acceptable if you choose to walk that line, because who are we to judge?. Some of the past, like the color scheme and the marching band staying in place, plus the crest displaying the past championships, may be enough historical ties to satisfy many fans. Then, there is a segment of older fans who just wanted a change to get away from the name controversy but also not to lose the history prior to the Dan Snyder dark ages of ownership. Regardless of what position this segment of the fan base comes from, merging Redskins with the Commanders should not be vilified even if one wholeheartedly disagrees.

The attachment to the Redskins era and having it directly tie to Commanders has an adverse effect on many of the older fans such as myself. Where many have learned to compartmentalize this transition while forging their new path under this branding, this section of fans have that equal right to embrace the change. So, instead of making this current era as polarizing as the corrupt world as politics, this is a moment to simply respect any fans’ approach towards this era and move forward. The fan base has clearly become divided over this branding that honestly leads to unwarranted and unnecessary attacks.

A fan never letting go of the past while refusing to fully embrace the present should have the respect enough toward those who have fully embraced the team today, especially those who never experienced the franchise’s golden age. In turn, these very same fans fully buying into the current branding should acknowledge where the older generation of Redskins fans have aligned today. There has to be a commonality found and this is the impossible task owner Josh Harris is about to attempt with the new uniform changes on the horizon.

 

As Kevin Sheehan eludes above, the original logo will not return even though it was never a source of controversy. Earlier, I spoke on the origins of the logo and how that became a source of admiration throughout the fan base. For as frustrating as that is to hear the logo will never bee seen again, Josh Harris looks to build this bridge through the rest of the uniform. As we saw the throwback last season, the Super Bowl era uniforms (for the most part) will return as the permanent going forward. There have been no hints to the logo on the helmet changing aside from a potential rumor to the all black uniforms. This uniform will certainly go a long way to re-centering this franchise back to the roots and give the fans a slight aspect of normalcy many have been calling for today.

The organization clearly wants to remain respectful to the greats like Joe Gibbs, Doug Williams, Darrell Green, John Riggins, The Hogs, and The Posse, just to rattle off a few. The history at RFK, such as the “We Want Dallas” chants, the Monday Night Miracle with Santana Moss, and the 10 men on the field tribute to the late great Sean Taylor at Fed Ex Field are just memories we shouldn’t toss aside like yesterday’s news. The last couple of decades of memories are certainly embarrassing, but the golden age of this franchise can continue to be told and infused with the new chapter that lays ahead. While it’s certainly difficult for fans like myself to move forward, it’s also important that fans like myself not to allow the rich great history of this organization to be forgotten either.

These new uniforms potentially will allow for the past to be still celebrated with a more dignified approach as oppose to what this team has used the last few years. Personally, I feel like the Redskins name and the memorabilia you may have should never be wiped out and should recognized again in some capacity. There are stories and history that should always be shared, especially to the younger generations gravitating to this team. Share what Gibbs and The Hogs have meant or the pride in Doug Williams being the first African American quarterback to win a Super Bowl and the MVP for the Redskins. Retell of the joy of watching one of the best teams in NFL history win a Super Bowl in the 1991 season, plus the emotions we had in the loss of Sean Taylor many years later all happened as Redskins, not the Commanders. These new uniforms will be a solid step (far from perfect) in acknowledging the past appropriately while attempting to create a continued transition into the branding of Commanders.

A quick remark on the all black alternate uniforms that must be part of this change – they are just simply awful. Below is a claim of what the potential new all black uniforms will look like starting this season. As I am not a fan of all black alternate uniforms, these style of uniforms are becoming more prominent as a total of 12 NFL teams have this alternate uniform. If this is a mainstay going forward then what is seen below is far and away superior to the cheap Steelers knockoffs we saw last two seasons. Encapsulating the burgundy number with a gold trim is the only clear option while the spear on the helmet calls back to the Billy Kilmer and Sonny Jurgensen era during the late 1960’s. As a collective of everything talked about, I personally give Josh Harris some due respect bringing as much of the past as possible back to this organization. As I ultimately want the Redskins name and logo, the reality of that return is frustrating but these changes rolling the uniform design back to the early days is still appreciated.