Washington Redskins Asked To Change Their Name & Other NFL News

The NFL Season is just around the corner (We Hope), so I thought I would take a look at some of the recent news making headlines in the sport. I will attempt to do this periodically until the regular season starts. Sometimes, stories will not have much to write about them so I will lump them all into one article as I am doing this fine day. Let’s dig in.

The Washington Redskins Were Asked To Change Their Name

The name Redskins has been debated for many years now and many feel that the name should have been changed a while ago. FedEx is the sponsor of Washington and they do play their home games in FedEx Field. On Thursday, the company asked Washington to change its nickname. In the past, owner dan Snyder has stated that he has no interest in changing the name, but he may be forced to soon as the Contract with FedEx does run out in a few years. FedEx declined to give a reason why they asked for the name change, but We do note that the name “Redskins” has been seen as a racial slur against Native Americans. With all that’s going on in the country, that would probably be the reason for the request. So far I have seen the Washington Redtails, Warriors, Redhawks, Sentinels and Defenders being tossed around by some fans. We shall see if Snyder does change the name.

Info Gleaned From MSN Sports

Could Antonio Brown Become A Seahawk Or A Texan?

Antonio Brown played just one game for the Patriots last year, after spending the first nine years of his career in Pittsburgh. He had been one of the best wide receivers in the game but then last year and he was traded to the Raiders last year, but he had issues with the staff and players and didn’t play a single down for them. Brown was then traded to the Patriots where he played just one game. The Pats cut him after that after accusations of sexual misconduct surfaced. He is now scrambling to find a team to play on and it is a shame, as he is one of the best in the game.

There have been many teams that have expressed interest in him, including the Tampa Bay Bucs. Brady said he would love to have him there. The Baltimore Ravens have also shown interest in the superstar but it seems that the Seattle Seahawks and the Houston Texans could be the frontrunners at the moment. Russell Wilson has stated that he would love to have Brown on the team and he has been working out with them lately.

Brown has led the league in receiving twice and he has scored 59 TDs in his last five full years. If the Seahawks could get him, they would have the best WR corps in the league with Brown, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett.

He could also become a Texan. A move to Houston would be a big boost for a team that lost Andre Hopkins in the offseason. Hopkins is one of the best in the game and so is Brown. Houston really needs a top-flight wide receiver and Deshaun Watson would live to have him here.

The one problem is that the League first has to clear him to play. Brown made many mistakes in the last year and it is still unclear whether a suspension will be handed down. I will keep you posted.

Some Info Taken From Yardbarker & MSN Sports

NFL To Play Black National Anthem

There has been a lot of racial strife going on in the country these days and many sports have stepped up to the plate to help combat it. The NBA will allow players to highlight social justice with terms on the back of their jerseys. Nascar has stopped fans from bringing the confederate flag to their events and teams from all sports could have many of their players kneeling during the national anthem.

The NFL will be one of the sports where we will see many players kneel, I'm sure. The NFL has also stated that it will play "Lift Every Voice and Sing" before their games on week one. That song is known as the Black National Anthem and it is expected to be played before the Star-Spangled Banner. According to the NCAAP’s website, "Lift Every Voice and Sing" was written originally as a poem by James Weldon Johnson. It was first performed in 1900 by a choir at the segregated Stanton School in Jacksonville. Johnson was the principal of that school at the time.

Some Info Gleaned From The Undefeated (ESPN)

Other NFL Quick HIts

The NFL has canceled the Hall Of Fame game and they have also canceled weeks one & four of the preseason. You can find my article on it HERE… The NFL is thinking about having fans sign a waiver, which would protect the owners from a lawsuit if they get sick… The Patriots have been handed down a sentence for filming the Cleveland/ Cincinnati game last year. The Pats have been ordered to pay a fine of $1.1 million and they will lose a 3rd round pick in the 2021 draft. You can read more about it HERE from Ben The Pen… teams usually start the preseason with 90 players in camp but the league is looking to chop that number down to 75 or 80, due to COVID-19 concerns.