Here is a look at the all-time passing yardage leaders for every NFL franchise.  

This list includes 10 current Pro Football Hall of Famers and a number of other quarterbacks who will one day be enshrined in Canton. While some teams have obvious all-time passing yardage leaders (Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, for starters), other teams have surprising players atop their passing lists. 

Arizona Cardinals: Jim Hart

Years: 1966-1983

Yards: 34,639 (209 TDs)

Others: Neil Lomax (22,771 yards), Kyler Murray (19,498), Jake Plummer (17,622), Carson Palmer (17,622)

Notes: Hart played for the then-St. Louis Cardinals. In 1974-75, Hart – under coach Don Coryell – led the Cardinals to back-to-back NFC East titles, quite an accomplishment when you consider the dominance enjoyed by the Dallas Cowboys in the division during that decade. Current Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is making a rapid rise up the franchise’s all-time passing leaders list.

Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan

Years: 2008-2021

Yards: 59,735 (367 TDs)

Others: Steve Bartkowski (23,470 yards), Chris Miller (14,066), Chris Chandler (13,268), Michael Vick (11,505)

Notes: Ryan also was the 2008 offensive rookie of the year and 2016 NFL MVP. During his career, the Falcons made six playoff appearances and reached Super Bowl LI (the Falcons had eight playoff appearances in the 41 seasons before Ryan’s arrival).

Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco

Years: 2008-2018

Yards: 38,245 (212 TDs)

Others: Lamar Jackson (20,059 yards), Kyle Boller (7,846), Vinny Testaverde (7,148), Steve McNair (4,163)

Notes: Flacco’s career in Baltimore was highlighted by being named the MVP in the Ravens’ victory in Super Bowl XLVII.

Buffalo Bills: Jim Kelly

Years: 1986-1996

Yards: 35,467 (237 TDs)

Others: Joe Ferguson (27,590 yards), Josh Allen (26,434), Jack Kemp (15,134), Ryan Fitzpatrick (11,654)

Notes: Kelly, the Pro Football Hall of Famer, directed one of the most prolific offenses in league history and guided the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances. Allen’s contract extension signed during the 2025 offseason should assure that he will be in Buffalo long enough to top Kelly’s franchise record.

Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton

Years: 2011-2019

Yards: 29,041 (182 TDs)

Others: Jake Delhomme (19,258 yards), Steve Beuerlein (12,690), Kerry Collins (8,306), Bryce Young (5,280)

Notes: Newton was NFL MVP in 2015, throwing for a career-high 35 TDs, leading the Panthers to Super Bowl 50.

Chicago Bears: Jay Cutler

Years: 2009-2016

Yards: 23,443 (154 TDs)

Others: Sid Luckman (14,686 yards), Jim Harbaugh (11,567), Jim McMahon (11,203), Mitchell Trubisky (10,609)

Notes: Cutler directed the Bears to their last NFC championship game appearance in 2010. Luckman is the only former Bears quarterback in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Cincinnati Bengals: Ken Anderson

Years: 1971-1986

Yards: 32,838 (197 TDs)

Others: Andy Dalton (31,594 yards), Boomer Esiason (27,149), Carson Palmer (22,694), Joe Burrow (19,001)

Notes: Anderson was the 1981 NFL MVP, a season in which he led the Bengals to an appearance in Super Bowl XVI. Burrow is signed through the end of the decade and could be atop the team list by the time that deal expires.

Cleveland Browns: Brian Sipe

Years: 1974-1983

Yards: 23,713 (154 TDs)

Others: Otto Graham (23,584 yards), Bernie Kosar (21,904), Baker Mayfield (14,125), Frank Ryan (13,361)

Notes: Graham, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, led the Browns to seven combined championships in the AAFC and NFL.

Dallas Cowboys: Tony Romo

Years: 2004-2016

Yards: 34,183 (248 TDs)

Others: Troy Aikman (32,942 yards), Dak Prescott (31,437), Roger Staubach (22,700), Danny White (21,959)

Notes: Romo and Prescott have posted three 4,000-yard passing seasons apiece. Prescott could be atop this list by the end of the 2025 season, but health has been a concern for the Cowboys’ current quarterback.

Denver Broncos: John Elway

Years: 1983-1998

Yards: 51,475 (300 TDs)

Others: Peyton Manning (17,112 yards), Craig Morton (11,895), Brian Griese (11,763), Jake Plummer (11,631)

Notes: At the time of his retirement, Elway was the NFL’s second-leading all-time passing yardage leader (behind Dan Marino); he’s currently No. 12. 

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford

Years: 2009-2020

Yards: 45,109 (282 TDs)

Others: Jared Goff (16,887 yards), Bobby Layne (15,710), Scott Mitchell (12,647), Greg Landry (12,451)

Notes: Stafford’s statistical ledger includes seven 4,000-yard passing seasons and one 5,000-yard passing season with the Lions.

Green Bay Packers: Brett Favre

Years: 1992-2007

Yards: 61,655 (442 TDs)

Others: Aaron Rodgers (59,055 yards), Bart Starr (24,718), Lynn Dickey (21,369), Tobin Rote (11,535)

Notes: Dickey held the Packers’ single-season passing yardage record (4,458 in 1983) for 28 years until Rodgers finally broke it in 2011 (4,643).

Houston Texans: Matt Schaub

Years: 2007-2013

Yards: 23,221 (124 TDs)

Others: Deshaun Watson (14,539 yards), David Carr (13,391), C.J. Stroud (7,835), Davis Mills (5,955)

Notes: Stroud’s 2024 offensive rookie of the year season included setting a rookie record for most passing yards (470) in a game.

Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning

Years: 1998-2010

Yards: 54,828 (399 TDs)

Others: Johnny Unitas (39,768 yards), Andrew Luck (23,671), Bert Jones (17,663), Jack Trudeau (9,647)

Notes: Unitas and Jones each played for the Baltimore Colts. Manning also is the Broncos’ No. 2 all-time leading passer, which is impressive given he played just four seasons in Denver.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Mark Brunell

Years: 1995-2003

Yards: 25,698 (144 TDs)

Others: Blake Bortles (17,646 yards), David Garrard (16,003), Trevor Lawrence (13,815), Byron Leftwich (9,042)

Notes: Brunell led the Jaguars to two AFC championship game appearances (1996 and 1999) during his time in Jacksonville.

Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes

Years: 2017-present

Yards: 32,352 (245 TDs)

Others: Len Dawson (28,507 yards), Trent Green (21,459), Alex Smith (17,608), Bill Kenney (17,277)

Notes: Mahomes passed Dawson on the Chiefs’ all-time passing yardage list during the 2024 season. Dawson’s first season was with the Dallas Texans, who he led to the American Football League championship in 1962 before the franchise moved to Kansas City in 1963.

Las Vegas Raiders: Derek Carr

Years: 2014-2022

Yards: 35,222 (217 TDs)

Others: Ken Stabler (19,078 yards), Rich Gannon (17,585), Daryle Lamonica (16,655), Jim Plunkett (12,665)

Notes: Carr was a four-time Pro Bowl selection for the Raiders. Stabler, Gannon, Lamonica and Plunkett each helped the Raiders reach the Super Bowl, with Stabler and Plunkett (twice) winning titles.

Los Angeles Chargers: Philip Rivers

Years: 2004-2019

Yards: 59,271 (397 TDs)

Others: Dan Fouts (43,040 yards), John Hadl (26,938), Justin Herbert (21,093), Stan Humphries (16,085)

Notes: Chargers with as impressive a top six (Drew Brees is sixth with 12,348 yards) as there is in the league.

Los Angeles Rams: Jim Everett

Years: 1986-1993

Yards: 23,758 (142 TDs)

Others: Marc Bulger (22,814 yards), Roman Gabriel (22,223), Jared Goff (18,171), Norm Van Brocklin (16,114)

Notes: Everett twice led the NFL in touchdown passes, including in the 1989 season when he helped the Rams reach the NFC championship game. Matthew Stafford (14,700 yards) should reach Rams’ top five in 2025.

Miami Dolphins: Dan Marino

Years: 1983-1999

Yards: 61,361 (420 TDs)

Others: Bob Griese (25,092 yards), Ryan Tannehill (20,434), Tua Tagovaloa (12,639), Jay Fiedler (11,040)

Notes: Once the NFL’s all-time passing yardage leader, Marino enters the 2025 season ranked No. 9 behind Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan.

Minnesota Vikings: Fran Tarkenton

Years: 1961-1966, 1972-1978

Yards: 33,098 (239 TDs)

Others: Tommy Kramer (24,775 yards), Kirk Cousins (23,265), Daunte Culpepper (20,162), Wade Wilson (12,135)

Notes: Tarkenton long held the league’s career passing yardage record (47,003) before being surpassed by Dan Marino in 1995.

New England Patriots: Tom Brady

Years: 2000-2019

Yards: 74,571 (541 TDs)

Others: Drew Bledsoe (29,657 yards), Steve Grogan (26,886), Babe Parilli (16,747), Tony Eason (10,732)

Notes: Brady had 10 seasons with 4,000-plus passing yards and one with 5,000-plus passing yards during his time in New England.

New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees

Years: 2006-2020

Yards: 68,010 (491 TDs)

Others: Archie Manning (21,734 yards), Aaron Brooks (19,156), Bobby Hebert (14,630), Jim Everett (10,622)

Notes: Coupled with his 12,348 passing yards accumulated during his time in San Diego, Brees is the league’s No. 2 all-time leading passer behind Tom Brady (89,214 yards for Brady, 80,358 for Brees).

New York Giants: Eli Manning

Years: 2004-2019

Yards: 57,023 (366 TDs)

Others: Phil Simms (33,462 yards), Charlie Conerly (19,488), Kerry Collins (16,875), Daniel Jones (14,582)

Notes: Eli Manning, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, threw for 4,000-plus yards seven times while also leading the league in interceptions three times.

New York Jets: Joe Namath

Years: 1965-1976

Yards: 27,057 (170 TDs)

Others: Ken O’Brien (24,386 yards), Richard Todd (18,241), Chad Pennington (13,738), Vinny Testaverde (12,497)

Notes: Namath, who made good on the most famous ‘guarantee’ in sports history, led the league in passing yardage three times.

Philadelphia Eagles: Donovan McNabb

Years: 1999-2009

Yards: 32,873 (216 TDs)

Others: Ron Jaworski (26,963 yards), Randall Cunningham (22,877), Carson Wentz (16,811), Norm Snead (15,672),

Notes: McNabb helped the Eagles qualify for the playoffs eight times and make one Super Bowl appearance. Entering 2025, Jalen Hurts is 1,005 yards behind Snead on the Eagles’ all-time passing yardage list.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger

Years: 2004-2021

Yards: 64,088 (418 TDs)

Others: Terry Bradshaw (27,989 yards), Kordell Stewart (13,328), Neil O’Donnell (12,867), Bubby Brister (10,104)

Notes: Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl winner, led the NFL in passing yards twice in his career.

San Francisco 49ers: Joe Montana

Years: 1979-1992

Yards: 35,124 (244 TDs)

Others: John Brodie (31,548 yards), Steve Young (29,907), Jeff Garcia (16,408), Y.A. Tittle (16,016)

Notes: Montana, a four-time Super Bowl champion and two-time league MVP, led the NFL in completion percentage five times in his career.

Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson

Years: 2012-2021

Yards: 37,059 (292 TDs)

Others: Matt Hasselbeck (29,434 yards), Dave Krieg (26,132), Jim Zorn (20,122), Geno Smith (12,961)

Notes: Wilson has accounted for five of the top seven single-season passing yardage totals in Seahawks history (Geno Smith’s 4,320 and 4,282 yards in 2024 and 2022, respectively, top the team list).

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston

Years: 2015-2019

Yards: 19,737 (121 TDs)

Others: Vinny Testaverde (14,820 yards), Tom Brady (14,643), Josh Freeman (13,534), Trent Dilfer (12,969)

Notes: Brady’s three-year tenure in Tampa included winning Super Bowl LV during the 2020 season, and leading the league in passing yards (5,316) and touchdowns (43) in 2021. In 2019, Winston became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 30 touchdowns (33) and at least 30 interceptions (30). 

Tennessee Titans: Warren Moon

Years: 1984-1993

Yards: 33,685 (196 TDs)

Others: Steve McNair (27,141 yards), George Blanda (19,149), Dan Pastorini (16,864), Ryan Tannehill (14,447)

Notes: Moon, Blanda and Pastorini all played for the Houston Oilers, with Moon’s final season with the franchise taking place four years before the relocation to Tennessee. 

Washington Commanders: Joe Theismann

Years: 1974-1985

Yards: 25,585 (160 TDs)

Others: Sonny Jurgensen (22,585 yards), Sammy Baugh (21,886), Kirk Cousins (16,206), Mark Rypien (15,928)

Notes: Theismann earned NFL MVP honors in 1983 when the Redskins scored a then-record 541 points.

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Veteran guard Chris Paul, a 12-time All-Star and 11-time All-NBA performer, has reached a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, his agents told ESPN.

Paul will join a talented – and older – Clippers team that is trying to make a run at a title with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden leading the way. Los Angeles also just reached a deal with veteran guard Bradley Beal.

Paul, 40, is entering his 21st season, and this will be his second stint with the Clippers (also 2011-17). He spent last season with San Antonio and averaged 8.8 points and 7.4 assists while starting in all 82 games. Paul is No. 2 on the NBA’s all-time assist at 12,499 – behind John Stockton’s 15,806 assists.

This could be the future Basketball Hall of Famer’s final season, and the Clippers have positioned themselves to make a run. They were 50-32 last season and took Denver to seven games in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

The Clippers have had an intriguing offseason and assembled an experienced roster that they believe can go deep in the playoffs.

They re-signed Harden, 35, and Nic Batum, 36, and added Beal, 32. They also signed Brook Lopez, 37, and still have Leonard, 34. They acquired John Collins via trade on a roster that also includes Ivica Zubac, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. They also have one of the top coaches in Ty Lue.

The defending WNBA champions are adding more finals experience for the stretch run.

Meesseman, from Belgium, will arrive in New York once she gets through the visa application process. She averaged 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in 2022 with the Sky. She appeared earlier this year in EuroBasket with Belgium.

The Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury were also considered as destinations for Meesseman. She will join a team that features Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones. The Liberty are seeking to become the second team in 20 years to repeat and the fourth WNBA franchise to achieve the feat.

Jones was named the 2024 WNBA Finals MVP after New York defeated the Minnesota Lynx 3-2 to win the franchise’s first-ever WNBA championship.

Emma Meesseman WNBA stats

Here’s a look at Meesseman’s stats in her eight-year WNBA career with Washington and Chicago:

2013 (Washington): 4.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 blocks and 0.6 steals per game in 14.6 minutes per game (34 games, one start)
2014 (Washington): 10.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.4 steals per game in 27.4 minutes per game (34 games, one start)
2015 (Washington): 11.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 blocks and 0.9 steals per game in 27.2 minutes per game (34 games, 34 starts)
2016 (Washington): 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.7 blocks and 1.2 steals per game in 29.3 minutes per game (34 games, 34 starts)
2017 (Washington): 14.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals per game in 28.4 minutes per game (23 games, 22 starts)
2018 (Washington): Did not play
2019 (Washington): 13.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.7 blocks and 0.9 steals per game in 23.6 minutes per game (23 games, 6 starts)
2020 (Washington): 13.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.8 blocks and 1.2 steals per game in 31.7 minutes per game (20 games, 19 starts)
2021 (Washington): Did not play
2022 (Chicago): 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.8 blocks and 1.4 steals per game in 28.6 minutes per game (36 games, 36 starts)

Six weeks before Week 1 of the 2025 college football season, Jake Retzlaff has found a new home.

The former BYU quarterback has committed to Tulane, according to a report from ESPN on July 21.

The move comes 10 days after Retzlaff left BYU rather than sit through a planned seven-game suspension for a violation of the school’s honor code, which prohibits premarital sex.

Retzlaff had been accused in a lawsuit in May of raping a woman in 2023. Retzlaff denied the allegation and the lawsuit was dismissed on June 30, with the parties jointly agreeing to dismiss with prejudice.

Given the severity of the allegations Retzlaff faced, Tulane spent more than a week doing background on the transfer quarterback and had the school’s Title IX office review the move, according to ESPN. The report added that Retzlaff will join the Green Wave as a walk-on, as he was unable to enter the NCAA transfer portal given when he left BYU.

Retzlaff threw for 2,947 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season and ran for 417 yards and six touchdowns. He helped lead the Cougars to an 11-2 record and a No. 14 ranking in the final US LBM Coaches Poll.

At Tulane, he’ll aim to win the starting job vacated by Darian Mensah, who transferred to Duke after leading the Green Wave to the American Athletic Conference championship game last season. Retzlaff is one of four transfer quarterbacks on the roster, joining Brendan Sullivan (Iowa), Kadin Semonza (Ball State) and Donovan Leary (Illinois). On3 Sports reported that Retzlaff has not been promised the starting job.

Coach Jon Sumrall had originally brought in TJ Finley from Western Kentucky, but the well-traveled quarterback entered the transfer portal in April after he was arrested after police linked the license plate of a truck he was driving to a stolen car in Atlanta (Finley’s attorneys claimed he was victim of a scam after buying a used truck through a social media marketplace).

After going 9-5 in Sumrall’s first season, Tulane is expected to be one of the best teams this season outside the power conference level, which could put it in contention for a designated spot in the College Football Playoff.

Jumbotron ‘Kiss Cams’ have taken on a whole new meaning.

Over the weekend, sports fans and mascots poked fun at the viral moment in which two employees from tech company Astronomer were seen embracing during a Coldplay concert. In efforts to not be seen, the two scurried out of the camera’s view, but the internet was quick to identify them, one who was the CEO of the company and has since resigned.

During the Philadelphia Phillies’ game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, July 18, mascot Phillie Phanatic – a large, green furry bird – is spotted on the jumbotron with another Phanatic character donning long blonde hair. The two shake their heads in surprise, Phanatic darts off screen and the other character covers her face in shame. Fans clapped and cheered in support. Watch the moment and more in the video above.

After the skit, the jumbotron camera panned to a man holding a handmade sign that reads, ‘This IS My Wife,’ followed by a smooch from the loving couple.

But the Phillies couldn’t let the gag down and decided to pan back to the mascots, still hiding in shame from the camera.

Fans at the Colorado Rockies game against the Minnesota Twins game on Saturday, July 19 also took part in the fun. During the kiss cam, a man and woman hunker down from the camera’s view before popping back up in laughter. And then to everyone’s surprise, another woman comes up to kiss the man in frame.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.

The Washington Commanders thought they could finally put their name controversy behind them, but the nation’s capital has a way of relitigating the past.

This offseason, Washington inked a deal to return to their old home on the RFK Stadium site and also reimagined their old Super Bowl era uniforms in what some believe could be a precursor to a jersey rebrand.

Plans for the stadium have stalled while Mayor Muriel Bowser battles with the Washington D.C. council to get it approved. The mayor has expressed concern about the deal, while the Commanders may run into a speedbump for future plans.

Now the Commanders face another potential obstacle en route to a stadium deal, this time against the Commander in Chief. On July 20, President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he could block a deal if the team doesn’t bring back their old name.

‘I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, ‘Washington Commanders,’ I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington,’ Trump posted on Truth Social.

Here’s a look at how we got here, including the origin of the Commanders’ name change, whether they can change it back and what the President has said about the issue.

Why did the Commanders change their name?

Washington’s NFL franchise introduced the ‘Commanders’ moniker in advance of the 2022 season after two years as the Washington Football Team.

The move was necessitated by the overwhelming pressure that began to mount against the much more controversial namesake.

Originally born into the NFL in 1932 as the Boston Braves, the franchise changed its name after one season to the version considered offensive to Native Americans in 1933. It was a name that remained through the team’s relocation to Washington in 1937 and withstood the test of time until the it couldn’t anymore ahead of the 2020 season.

Following George Floyd’s death in Minnesota, protests broke out across the country in opposition to police brutality and racism. That also put the spotlight on Washington’s team, which began feeling the heat from sponsors like FedEx, Nike and PepsiCo.

Previous owner Dan Snyder was adamant for years that the name would never be changed.

‘We will never change the name of the team,’ Snyder told USA TODAY Sports in 2013. ‘As a lifelong (name) fan, and I think that the (name) fans understand the great tradition and what it’s all about and what it means, so we feel pretty fortunate to be just working on next season.’

Despite years of lawsuits and pressure from Native American groups, Snyder vowed he would never cave on the issue.

‘We’ll never change the name,’ Snyder said at the time. ‘It’s that simple. NEVER – you can use caps.’

However, the sponsors threats were more than enough for Snyder to reconsider his position and the old name was removed ahead of the 2020 season, sparking a search for a new one.

‘We are announcing we will be retiring the (former) name and logo upon completion of this review,’ the team said in a statement and that team officials were ‘working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years.’

What Trump has said about Commanders name change

Trump has been a fixture throughout the Commanders recent rebrands and controversy. The pivot away from the controversial name came during the first Trump administration and now the stadium deal has taken centerstage during the second.

The president has always been opposed to switch, but struck a different chord earlier this month when asked about the team’s move back to the RFK site.

“It doesn’t have the same ring to me,” he told reporters on July 7. “But, you know, winning can make everything sound good. So, if they win, all of a sudden, the Commanders sounds good, but I wouldn’t have changed it.”

While Trump wasn’t in favor of the move, it was a decidedly different tone than the one he took at the time in 2020.

‘They name teams out of STRENGTH, not weakness, but now the Washington Redskins & Cleveland Indians, two fabled sports franchises, look like they are going to be changing their names in order to be politically correct,’ Trump tweeted in response to the initial change.

He renewed that rhetoric on July 20, when he threatened to block the team’s new stadium deal in the district, adding they should immediately bring back the old name.

‘I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, ‘Washington Commanders,’ I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington,’ Trump later posted.

‘The Team would be much more valuable, and the Deal would be more exciting for everyone,’ he continued, adding that the Cleveland Guardians should also follow suit.

It’s unclear what power the president has in this case, considering Congress turned over control of the RFK Stadium land to the city with the passage of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act in January.

Will the Commanders change their name?

It’s unlikely a move back to the old controversial nickname will happen, given recent stance from team brass.

If there was any doubt, team owner Josh Harris seemingly put a return to the old name to bed at a press conference in February.

‘Now, in this building, the name Commanders means something,’ Harris said. ‘It’s about players who love football, are great at football, hit hard, mentally tough, great teammates. It’s really meaningful that that name is growing in meaning.’

While the owner acknowledged that the team will honor its past, he pointed out that the name is here to stay.

‘I think it’s now being embraced by our team, by our culture, by our coaching staff. And so we’re going with that,’ Harris said.

Not only have the Commanders shown no interest in reverting to their name, but NFL rules dictate that it might not be a possibility at this time either.

As any name change would also be likely be accompanied with new jerseys, the NFL’s uniform rules come into focus. As detailed in 2002 Resolution G-3 under Article 19 of the NFL’s constitution, a team cannot change its jerseys more than once every five years.

Given that the team just unveiled new jerseys ahead of the 2022 season, they cannot make a switch again until 2027.

There is a clause for ‘extenuating circumstances’ built in that would allow for a faster rebrand. It is determined by the commissioner, but relocation and ownership change are considered extenuating.

Any name change would likely need the approval of the league, as was the case in 2020 when Washington first changed its team nickname to the Commanders.

What Trump has said about the Cleveland Guardians

The Commanders aren’t the only team that faced controversy surrounding their team name. MLB’s Cleveland Guardians also drew the ire of Trump, who suggested they should also bring back their old name.

Cleveland didn’t make the move until ahead of the 2022 MLB season, three years after they dropped the ‘Chief Wahoo’ mascot and logo.

Trump said that it was cancel culture in a 2020 tweet, indicating he was no fan of that decision.

The Guardians arrived at the conclusion to change their name after team owner Paul Dolan changed his stance on the matter, citing a changing world in the aftermath of the social unrest in 2020.

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Porter Martone, the 18-year-old winger selected by the Philadelphia Flyers as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, will play for Michigan State in the upcoming 2025-26 season according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Martone played in the 2024-25 season for the Ontario Hockey League’s Brampton Steelheads, where he put up 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) in 57 games played. There had been questions about whether Martone would play college hockey in the United States or continue his career on the junior circuit.

The addition of Martone is a big pickup for the Spartans, who lost forward Isaac Howard on July 8 after the Hobey Baker Award winner signed an entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers. Howard was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning with the 31st overall pick in 2022, but was traded to the Oilers following his junior season at Michigan State.

Unlike in the other major North American professional sports, players drafted to an NHL team are allowed to continue their college careers while their professional team retains the player’s draft rights.

The Spartans won their second consecutive Big Ten title in the 2024-25 season, beating Ohio State 4-3 in double overtime in the Big Ten championship game with Howard scoring the winning goal. However, the No. 2 overall seed Spartans lost to Cornell 4-3 in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, which was eventually won by Western Michigan.

Players from one of the three Canadian junior hockey leagues (Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, Western Hockey League, OHL) were originally banned from playing NCAA hockey since the NCAA previously considered them professionals, eliminating their amateur status. However, the NCAA ruled on Nov. 7, 2024, that some players from the Canadian junior leagues would be eligible to play NCAA hockey.