Washington Post calls for Redskins to change team name

2020 could be the year when practices in the sports world that previously were viewed as untouchable disappear forever.

Following the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man who died in police custody on May 25 after a white officer kneeled on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, Bubba Wallace, the only full-time black driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, called for the organization to ban Confederate flags and symbols from official events.

NASCAR quickly acted, and the flag is no longer permitted.

For a piece published on Tuesday, Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post became the latest person to argue for the Washington Redskins to change the franchise's name.

"Now is the time," Svrluga wrote to Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. "Sorry, long past the time. "The best we can hope is that the death of George Floyd while in police custody leads us to someplace better, that we’re more able to understand the perspective of others, or at least listen to them, think about them, embrace them."

Much has changed, however, amid the coronavirus pandemic and following Floyd's senseless death. Per a recent poll, a majority of Americans support NFL players kneeling during the Star-Spangled Banner before games. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick hasn't played in the league since he made that protest movement famous in 2016, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has encouraged clubs to consider signing the 32-year-old ahead of the upcoming season.

Earlier this month, Goodell apologized and admitted he and the league were "wrong" for not listening to players earlier about their concerns regarding racism and other social issues. That apology coupled with the undeniable winds of change swirling throughout the United States leads one to believe Goodell may feel a need to address the Redskins name sooner rather than later.