NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday the league would not pressure the Washington Redskins to change their team name. Goodell's comments come a day after the Cleveland Indians announced they would stop using the the Chief Wahoo logo on their uniforms in 2019.
"This issue has been around for several decades if not longer," Goodell said on ESPN's *Golic and Wingo Show* on Tuesday. "And I think the interesting thing is that [Redskins owner] Dan Snyder has really worked in the Native American community to better understand their perspective. I think it was a Washington Post poll that came out in 2016] that said nine out 10 Native Americans do not take that in a negative fashion -- the [Redskins' logo or the Redskins' name, and they support it.
"So I think the focus that we've had is in any way is this insulting to Native Americans, and I think that poll is overwhelmingly positive that they don't. I think that the Redskins have done a tremendous amount of work here and I think Dan continues to believe in the name and I don't see him changing that perspective."
Goodell has consistently defended the Redskins' name, and Snyder has previously said he doesn't ever plan to change the franchise's mascot. A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in June struck down part of a decades-old trademark law that banned trademarks which could be deemed offensive, saying the law infringed on free speech rights.
Goodell said the NFL and the Redskins will continue to listen to fans when it comes to the team's name.
"Again, I think you start with the position of what the reaction is of the Native Americans," Goodell said. "And, as I said, that is overwhelmingly positive about it. Second, I think you obviously ask Dan to listen and make sure you understand what the fans are saying, which he has, we have. We don't hear this very much from our fans, but we understand there are different perspectives on this and we're sensitive to that and understand it. And we make sure that we do everything we can to make sure we present all of our teams in a positive fashion."
