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The Pigskins Shame Spiral is an occasional feature tracking developments related to the name of D.C.’s beloved football team.
Who: Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL.
Change the name? Eh. Goodell took as wishy-washy a stance as possible in a radio interview Wednesday, stressing the importance of listening to any fans who may be offended by the name. Goodell said it would ultimately be the decision of Pigskins owner Dan Snyder, whohas vowed to never change the team’s name. So by some sort of transitive property, that probably means Goodell isn’t that keen on changing the name.
Why? As commissioner, it’s sort of his job to say something. The Pigskins have come under increased fire from Congress, liberal media outlets, and even execs within ESPN.
Shame Spiral Rating: This is a symbolic finger wag at best, though it’s definitely an improvement over Goodell’s previous statement that the team’s name is a “unifying force that stands for strength, courage, pride and respect.” Still, Goodell’s the man in charge: If he wanted the name changed, he could have offered some sterner words.
Illustration by Jandos Rothstein