Although this fall will mark the first season with their new nickname, the Washington Commanders announced on Wednesday they will commemorate their 90th anniversary as a franchise with a uniform patch.
“To honor the past and give a nod to the new era as the Commanders, the patch combines elements reflective of the organizations 90-year history while incorporating the new Commanders brand identity,” the team said in a press release.
The patch will be unveiled on July 9, exactly 90 years since the franchise was founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves. The Braves changed their name to the Redskins the following season – coinciding with a move to Boston’s Fenway Park – and that name remained when the franchise relocated to Washington D.C. in 1937.
After decades of scrutiny, the franchise finally retired the controversial nickname in 2020 amid pressure from sponsors and nationwide protests against racial inequality. They were known as the Washington Football Team for two seasons before unveiling the Commanders nickname, logos and uniforms in February.
The last time Washington wore a patch on its uniform was 2020, when players donned the No. 49 on their left shoulder in honor of late halfback/flanker Bobby Mitchell, who had passed away earlier that year. It’s likely the 90th anniversary patch will be in the same spot on the Commanders’ new uniforms.
Washington has also worn patches to commemorate the NFL’s 50th anniversary in 1969; their 50th anniversary in 1986; the NFL’s 75th anniversary in 1994; the death of former owner Jack Kent Cooke in 1997; their 70th anniversary in 2002; the death minority owner Gerald Snyder (the father of majority owner Dan Snyder) in 2003; their 75th anniversary and the death of former safety Sean Taylor in 2007; the death of longtime NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw in 2008; the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2011; and the 50th anniversary of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
Photo courtesy of @Commanders on Twitter.
