Name change, field turf not in Redskins’ plans

Robert Griffin III lays on the Redskins’ deteriorated NFL turf after tearing his ACL in a NFC Divisional Round showdown with Seattle. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Washington Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen said at the groundbreaking of the team’s new training facility on Thursday that the Washington D.C. based team has no plans to change its controversial name.

Ruckus around the name and logo referencing Native Americans has picked up as of late, but the franchise still sees no reason for a change to the name of the 81-year-old franchise. “It’s ludicrous to think that in any way we’re trying to upset anybody,” Allen said of the team’s name, despite the condemning from many Indian groups in the area.

Allen went on to discuss the Redskins’ FedEx field, which was blamed as the reason for the torn Anterior Cruciate Ligaments of both quarterback Robert Griffin III and Seahawks defensive end Chris Clemons in the final game that the field hosted. Allen said that replacing the grass with field turf is not an possible option for the field that has under gone much scrutiny in recent history for its bad condition.

Allen did, however, note that the team missed a chance to re-sod the field before the Redskins Week 10 bye, a mistake that he says will not happen again. Rather the field is re-sodded or not, if it’s not in good enough shape to meet the league’s more restricted field policies, which are coming soon, then they may have no choice but to change the playing surface in the near future.

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