RB Adrian Peterson glad Redskins removed controversial monument from RFK Stadium

Although they probably won't change their name, the Washington Redskins are making strides to promote racial equality.

The Redskins recently removed a statue dedicated to their former owner, George Preston Marshall, at RFK Stadium on Friday and cited his racist policies of not signing black players for decades as reasoning for removal of the monument.

The team played at RFK Stadium from 1961 to 1996.

Redskins running back Adrian Peterson, who has been with the team since 2018, says the statue's removal made him "feel good," according to TMZ. 

"Obviously, in different states all over this country, you've got monuments, buildings and stuff and statues that are named after people that owned slaves, people that were racists," Peterson told TMZ. "It just shows that God is watching over us to be able to get to a point now where they are removing some of those statuses and trying to pave a new way."

While the statue's removal is a step in the right direction, changing the Redskins name should now be a point of focus if the franchise truly wants to cut racist ties. Peterson said he's trying to educate himself on the matter and understands both sides of the argument, TMZ adds. 

Washington changed its name from the Braves to the Redskins in 1933 and has been the subject of protests by Native-American groups and others for the past 40 years. Redskins owner Dan Snyder continues to refuse a name change despite a few different court battles.

A 2019 poll of Native Americans showed that a majority found the team name offensive, according to USA Today, but Snyder claims he'll "never" change the name.

Other professional sports organizations also have controversial names, including MLB's Cleveland Indians and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, both of whom have no plans to change their name despite their offensive nature.