Washington Commanders Owner/Managing Partner Josh Harris made it clear this week that the team will be keeping its current name. Appearing on The Varsity with John Ourand podcast on Wednesday, Harris addressed the topic directly after Ourand pointed out that “the former owner [Dan Snyder] is nowhere to be seen anywhere within your franchise, except for in one place…and that’s with the name.”
Ourand added that he wasn’t asking if the team would return to its former name, but whether Harris was committed to “Commanders.” Harris’ answer was definitive.“We’re embracing the Commanders name,” he said. “We did the 250th anniversary of the Navy, and so we relaunched our branding campaign at that game, and it’s Commanders are leaders of warriors. We start with the Romans and then we go to the Native American tribes and then we go to special forces, and they all have these swords, which is like the tip of the spear. And Darrell Green came down with the spear and slammed it at the start of the 3rd quarter.”
He reiterated his position: “We’re embracing the Commanders name, and we’re staying with it.” The remarks mark Harris’ clearest public statement yet about the team’s branding direction since purchasing the franchise in 2023. While speculation had persisted that a name change might still be under consideration, his comments indicate that the organization intends to move forward under the Commanders identity while continuing to strengthen its connection with Washington’s history and fan base.
