Von Miller is in Washington for training camp with the Commanders, his new team. And his first press conference is making the rounds … but for all the wrong reasons.
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The Commanders landed the veteran on a one-year deal worth $6.1 million, with incentives that could push it to $10.5 million. A steal, really, and that should’ve been the main talking point as he settled in.
Instead, what grabbed headlines was Miller calling his new team by the wrong name. He seemingly didn’t get the memo about the name change and referred to them by their old, offensive name during the presser.
If we rewind the clock a little bit, in July of 2020, Washington banned their old name, “Redskins,” amid growing pressure from Native American communities and the general public. Amid the George Floyd protests, a group of investors worth $650 million wrote letters to the team’s sponsors, demanding a name change.
The team obliged, and for a year, they operated as the Washington Football Team before officially becoming the Commanders in 2022.
We’re not sure if Miller didn’t know about the name change, but in his first press conference with the team, he addressed them using their old name.
“The Washington Redskins called me a month and a half ago and started talking, signed and agreed to come here to Washington about a week and a day ago, and here I am,” the outside linebacker told the media via JPAFootball.
Now, this is interesting on a few fronts. Firstly, Miller is an older player who grew up with the old name, as Washington’s team name. So, it could have just been a slip of the tongue. However, secondly, Donald Trump recently demanded that the team change back to their old name. Maybe that’s why he referred to them as the “Redskins.”
#Commanders new pass rusher Von Miller:
“The Washington Redskins called me a month and a half ago and started talking, signed and agreed to come here to Washington about a week and a day ago and here I am.”
(h/t: @JayDanielsMVP)
pic.twitter.com/7TIdU2pm0x— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) July 24, 2025
This, understandably, had some social media users wondering if Miller was subtly hinting that he agrees and believes the team should return to its old name.
“Even Von wants the name changed,” wrote The Detroit Times. “They are clueless over there,” someone said.
“Redskins?? Just cancel him now, lefties!” another commented.
Even Von wants the name changed
— (@the_det_times) July 24, 2025
However, sadly, a lot of the fan reaction was in support of Miller and what he said.
“The Washington Redskins, oh yeah,” the top commenter wrote.
In the end, it could have been a mistake by Miller, or it could have been intentional. Either way, it stirred the pot among fans as they recounted what it was like to hear the old name again. Some supporters sound like they genuinely want the name back, while others are happy that they’ve left it in the past.
The issue is that the name “Commanders” is too basic. It’s supposed to resonate with the military symbolism tied to Washington, DC.
In 2024, the Washington Post ran a study and found that several fans didn’t like the name, yet they didn’t want to return to the old one.
The name “Redtails” gained serious traction as a possible choice before Commanders. It would’ve been an ode to the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American military aviators in the US. It also sounds pretty cool, The Washington Redtails.
At the end of the day, though, it’s a should’ve, would’ve, could’ve. Now, they are stuck with a name so bad that people like Miller don’t even care to remember it.
