Redskins to have review to consider name change, citing 'recent events,' community feedback

The Washington Redskins announced Friday that team ownership is undertaking a thorough review process on whether to change its name “in light of recent events around the country and feedback from our community.” 

The announcement follows FedEx, which owns the naming rights to the Redskins' home stadium FedEx Field, recently asking the team to change its name.

FedEx Chairman and CEO Frederick W. Smith is also a minority owner in the Redskins.

The team has for years been under pressure to change is name and logo, which is a profile of a Native American.

"We'll never change the name," Redskins team owner Daniel Snyder said in 2013. "It's that simple. NEVER – you can use caps."

However, the May 25 death of George Floyd in custody of Minneapolis police has resulted in protests about police brutality toward Black Americans and a large examination of the county’s past and its past leaders’ relationships with  all minority populations. 

“Three separate letters (recently) signed by 87 investment firms and shareholders worth a collective $620 billion asked Nike, FedEx and PepsiCo to terminate their business relationships with the NFL’s Washington Redskins unless the team agrees to change its controversial name," Adweek recently reported.

ESPN reporter Adam Schefter posted the Redskins' announcement Friday.