Washington fans react to dropping 'Redskins' nickname from franchise

American Football fans in the US have aired mixed views on "retiring" the Redskins name and the Indian head logo from the NFL team based in Washington D.C.

The team launched a 'thorough review' of the name on 3rd July, supported by the NFL.

The decision came after decades of criticism that the images were offensive to Native Americans, and recent pressure from prominent sponsors FedEx, Nike, PepsiCo, and Bank of America asking the team to change the name.

The move is upsetting to some longtime "Skins" fans who feel like changing the name changes the identity of one of the league's oldest franchises.

Many people have weighed in on replacement names for Washington, and "Warriors", "War Hogs" "Wolves" and the "Redtails" have all been mooted.

The "Redtails" refers to the Tuskegee Airmen from World War II.

Over a dozen Native American leaders and organisations wrote to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last week demanding an immediate end to Washington's use of the name.

Image credits: AP