Daines on Senate Floor: “Any Franchise Should be Proud to be Associated with Native American Heritage”

• November 13, 2024

Calls on Washington Commanders to Restore Former Logo to Place of Honor

U.S. SENATE - U.S. Senator Steve Daines today delivered remarks on the Senate floor calling on the Washington Commanders football team to restore their former logo designed by former Blackfeet Tribal Chairman Blackie Wetzel to a place of honor. Daines highlighted the logo's cultural legacy, support from the Blackfeet Nation and its ties to Montana's rich Native American history.

Watch Daines' remarks HERE.

Daines' remarks as prepared for delivery:

"Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the need to right a wrong.

"The National Football League and the Washington Commanders must do more to honor the Commanders' Native American heritage as powerfully symbolized by the team's former iconic logo. And they must commit to never again censor or degrade it.

"Here is the story:

"This is a photograph from the 1960's of Blackie Wetzel and Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

"Blackie Wetzel was a member of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana and served his people and the country in many roles throughout his life, including as Chairman of the Blackfeet Tribe and President of the National Congress of American Indians.

"In 1971 Blackie met with George Herbert Allen, who was then the Head Coach and General Manager of Washington's premier professional sports franchise, the Washington Redskins.

Knowing that Coach Allen admired and supported Native Americans, Blackie Wetzel encouraged him to replace the team's 'R' logo with something that represented Indian Country.

"Blackie brought Coach Allen pictures of prominent Native American figures including Blackfeet Chief Two Guns White Calf, who is pictured here.

On behalf of the team, Coach Allen adopted the now legendary logo that became the symbol of this storied franchise and among the most popular in League history.

"Make no mistake, this logo was inspired and envisioned by Blackie Wetzel as a tribute to Native Americans. It is not a caricature. It is a depiction of pride and strength. Of courage and honor.

As Blackie Wetzel said in 2002, "It made us all so proud to have an Indian on a big-time team."

"And support from the Wetzel family, the White Calf family, and the Blackfeet Nation remains as strong as ever today.

"In fact, the Blackfeet Nation recently expressed their "wholehearted support" for the logo and urged the NFL and Commanders to restore it to a place of "prominence and honor."

"And I'll never forget Don Wetzel coming to me three years ago this very week to share his father's remarkable legacy and to tell me the logo still mattered to him and to his family even after the team stopped using it.

"For context, the contributions of our nation's Native American tribes to our country's culture and heritage is beyond dispute. That includes their service in the armed forces.

"Native Americans serve our country in uniform at the highest percentage per capita of any ethnic group. They are Warriors for our country. And we honor them and all veterans this week.

"Mr. President, any franchise should be proud to be associated with Native American heritage.

But unfortunately, in February the NFL deliberately censored the logo on its official X account. They did this when honoring previous Super Bowl winners, and the Commanders are selling a shirt even today that does the same.

"You might ask what I mean by censoring the logo.

"Well, in the case of the NFL, they photoshopped graphics to cover up the logo on the team's helmet.

"And in the case of a shirt honoring Darrell Green, the logo is completely removed from the helmet as if it were an obscene image.

"This blatant censorship is outrageous and offensive, not to mention hypocritical. Players wore the very same shirt in pregame warmups with one major difference. You'll see here that the logo is proudly displayed, as it should be.

"Why couldn't fans share in this same enthusiasm by purchasing a shirt with a legendary player and a legendary logo?

"And I've got to tell you, the censorship of honorable Native imagery certainly does not promote diversity, equity, or inclusion.

"Now let me be clear, as anyone who has been following this issue for the past few months knows: I am not calling for the return of the former team name, which had become increasingly controversial, especially in Indian Country.

"But unlike the former name, the logo was rarely a subject of controversy and in fact was never alleged to be disparaging during the trademark disputes against the team that spanned many years.

"And while some individuals might object to teams featuring any Tribal imagery however honorable and realistic, there's no doubt in my mind that the overwhelming majority of fans in Indian Country and beyond believe Washington's former logo is honorable and a point of pride.

It was therefore wrong and simply unnecessary for the NFL and the team's former ownership to discard the logo and abandon its nearly 90-year connection to Indian Country.

"The good news is that the new Commanders owners have taken some positive steps since the May committee hearing on legislation related to RFK Stadium here in Washington.

"I applaud them for honoring Blackie Wetzel with a permanent memorial at Northwest Stadium.

And I'm told that censoring the logo on the Darrell Green shirt was an oversight and won't happen again when other Washington legends are featured on shirts in the future.

"It's also my understanding the Commanders are continuing to have good faith conversations with the Wetzel family on potentially allowing a new foundation to use the iconic logo to draw attention to critical issues facing Indian Country.

"I sincerely hope these conversations result in the team taking additional action to honor the Blackfeet Nation's contributions to the team's history and frankly the rich Native American heritage surrounding our nation's capital.

"I also strongly encourage the NFL to allow sales of vintage merchandise featuring the Native American logo where market demand exists.

"And if the Commanders want to occasionally wear the throwback uniform with the classic helmet, the NFL should fully support it.

"Can you imagine the Cowboys star once again lined up helmet to helmet with the Blackfeet chief?

"Now, I know enough about marketing and public relations to know that the NFL needs assurances that its corporate sponsors and media partners won't protest and create a stir were such sales to resume.

"So I'd like to publicly call on the NFL's sponsors to hear the support of the Blackfeet Nation, to hear the support of the Wetzel family, and to hear the thunderous support of fans across the country for honoring the logo, for allowing NFL-sanctioned merchandise sales featuring it, and for supporting Indian Country along the way.

"Corporate sponsors, I urge you to let the NFL know that you recognize the Native American logo was never the problem and that you believe it should be celebrated moving forward.

"Mr. President, I'm not the first senator to come to this floor to draw attention to Washington's football franchise or make demands in the context of extending the lease for RFK Stadium.

"Senators Harry Reid and Ben Nighthorse Campbell, among others, used this platform to demand that the team change its name.

"Well, today, on behalf of the Blackfeet Nation of Montana, and no doubt with the support of millions of football fans across the country, I come to the Senate floor to say our culture overcorrected in 2020. The NFL overcorrected. The team's previous ownership overcorrected. Sponsors overcorrected.

"And we are still seeing shocking displays of censorship of an honorable logo as a result.

But now can be the day of righting that wrong.

"And as we celebrate Native American Heritage Month this November, what better time to do it.

What better time to restore one of the NFL's greatest logos ever to the "place of prominence and honor" as hoped for, and called for, by the Blackfeet Nation of Montana."

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Contact: Matt Lloyd, Rachel Dumke