Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn appeared to ruffle feathers over the weekend when he wore a short that incorporated the old Redskins team name into the current logo.
Quinn’s Commanders shirt had a feather on the end of the “W,” which represents the team’s current name. Washington ditched the Redskins moniker in the summer of 2020 amid heightened racial tensions across the U.S. The team landed on Commanders before the 2023 season.
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Dan Quinn speaks at a press conference at Commanders Park in Ashburn, Virginia, on Feb. 5, 2024. (Michael A. McCoy /For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The shirt sparked reaction online. The Commanders had “no organizational comment” on the apparel, according to Pro Football Talk.
“Dan Quinn in bootleg merchandise. The NFL is not going to like this,” Dallas Cowboys writer Clarence Hill Jr. wrote on X.
ESPN’s Jason Reid wondered “why” Quinn would wear the shirt, adding that he thought it would take away from some of the positive buzz around the team.
“My man, I’m not focusing on racism. My overarching point is this: Everything associated with the former name gets people going, one way or another. They just drafted a QB with the second overall pick. New GM just had his first draft. New head coach is leading the rookies,” Reid wrote.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels poses with head coach Dan Quinn, right, owner Josh Harris and general manager Adam Peters following a press conference at Commanders Park in Ashburn, Virginia, on April 26, 2024. (Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“Optimism abounds. I just don’t understand the strategy in doing anything to take the focus away from the excitement on the field. If it was a trial balloon, there are ways that could have been done better than the new HC wearing a bootleg shirt. Nike pays for him to wear its shirts. I get that fans like the shirt and don’t think it matters, but Nike has millions of reasons why it expects that coach to be wearing official apparel. Anyway, in my experience, these things have always added up around there. But maybe everything will be fine this time.”
Local D.C. journalist Scott Abraham appreciated the nod to the franchise’s history.
“Can we stop for one second and appreciate this shirt Dan Quinn showcased during today’s press conference?!” Abraham wrote on X. “Embracing the future while also honoring the past. Chefs kiss.”
The Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) also supported Quinn’s shirt.
“Quinn wearing the ‘shirt’ has everything to do with the sleeping giant known as #Redskins Fandom,” NAGA wrote.. “Let this be a stark reminder that the excitement over the past 24 hours dwarfs anything this team can produce. And we won’t spend a dime on the team without a return.”
Quinn was named head coach of the Commanders in the offseason after spending time with the Cowboys as the team’s defensive coordinator. He led the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to the middle of the 2020 season and got the team to a Super Bowl during the 2016 season, only to lose to the New England Patriots in dramatic fashion.
Head coach Dan Quinn of the Washington Commanders during rookie minicamp at OrthoVirginia Training Center on May 10, 2024, in Ashburn, Virginia. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
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He was 43-42 as a head coach.
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