Report: Rivera, Snyder Working on Washington Name Change for More Than a Month

Ron Rivera said that he has been working with the owner to brainstorm possible new nicknames for the organization.

Washington head coach Ron Rivera and team owner Dan Snyder have been talking about a possible name change for more than a month, Rivera told the Washington Post's Les Carpenter. 

Rivera told the Post that he has been working with the owner to brainstorm possible new nicknames for the organization and that he is hopeful that a change could come prior to the beginning of the 2020 NFL season.

“If we get it done in time for the season, it would be awesome,” Rivera told the Post.

According to Rivera, there are two names in particular that he has brainstormed with Snyder that he is especially fond of. He declined to name the two options to the Post.

On Friday, Washington announced Friday that the franchise will "undergo a thorough review of the team's name" following requests for a change to its nickname.

The team said the review formalizes the initial discussions it has had with the NFL in recent weeks.

"In light of recent events around our country and feedback from our community, the Washington Redskins are announcing the team will undergo a thorough review of the team's name," the organization said in a statement.

According to multiple reports, the team is expected to change its name.

Many Native American leaders have long called for the changing of the nickname, which the franchise has used since 1933 when the team still was based in Boston.

The team's announcement came after stadium sponsor FedEx requested a change to the team's name. FedEx paid Washington $205 million for naming rights to the stadium in 1998 in a deal that lasts through 2025. Frederick Smith, the chairman, CEO and president of FedEx Corp., also owns a minority stake in the team.

Rivera was hired as the franchise's head coach this past December. 

In a similar gesture, on Friday, the Cleveland Indians announced they would be engaging with “appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name.”