Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona: ‘I’m hoping for Redtails’ as Washington’s new team name

The biggest story of the NFL on Monday was the announcement by Washington’s NFL franchise that it would retire its “Redskins” name and logo effective immediately. The decision was — unsurprisingly — met with both approval and criticism. One of those in favor of renaming the club which carried its nickname since 1933 is New England Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona, who took to social media to share his thoughts on the change:

Cardona is not just a five-year NFL veteran who has won two Super Bowls with the Patriots, but also serving as a Lieutenant in the Navy Reserves. His ideal outcome when it comes to the naming process for Washington’s pro football club therefore is tied to his experiences in the armed forces, as a comment below his original post shows. When asked which name he would like to see, he replied “Redtails:”

I’m hoping for “Redtails” to honor the Tuskegee Airmen and our greatest generation

For those unfamiliar, the Tuskegee Airmen were a group of black military fighter and bomber pilots employed during World War II — the first of its kind when the group was founded in 1941, and therefore essentially breaking the Air Force’s color barrier (while still continuing to face repeated discrimination, though). They were nicknamed “Red Tails” after one squadron of pilots decided to paint the tails of its planes with a distinct red color.

Washington’s franchise has not yet announced a timeline when it comes to announcing its new name, but according to oddsmakers “Redtails” could very well be the winning entry: according to BetOnline.ag, the name has 3/1 odds — best among those listed ahead of Generals (4/1) and Warriors (4/1).