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NFL veteran Von Miller referenced his new team by their former name after President Donald Trump threatened to block federal support for the Commanders’ new stadium project in Washington D.C. over his desire to reinstate the Redskins name.
Speaking to the media after training camp on Thursday, Miller expressed the motivation behind his desire to return to the gridiron.
“My 15th year in the league, it never gets old – especially being out of work for four months, perspective kind of changes a little bit. You know, back when you were young it was like, ‘Man why do we gotta go to OTAs? Man, I wish I was home.’ And then you’re sitting on the couch for four months, and it’s like, ‘Man, I wish I was at OTAs.’”
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But in his message to the media, Miller referenced the team as the Redskins.
“It’s good dropping the kids off, and it’s good picking the kids up from school, but I wanna go to work. The Washington Redskins called me a month and a half ago and started talking, and agreed to come here to Washington about a week and a day ago, and here I am. Excited to be here.”
The slip-up comes as President Trump has called on the team to revert to its former name, which was dropped in 2020.
COMMANDERS GENERAL MANAGER, DC MAYOR UNFAZED BY TRUMP’S COMMENTS ON TEAM NAME
“My statement on the Washington Redskins has totally blown up, but only in a very positive way,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “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. The Team would be much more valuable, and the Deal would be more exciting for everyone.”
Commanders general manager Adam Peters said earlier this week that issues like the stadium rights “don’t really make it to us.”
“We’re just trying to focus on what’s going on here and getting ready for the season.”
A vote on the deal that would allow the Commanders to return to their former home at RFK Stadium is set to take place on Aug. 1. The deal includes a $3.7 billion redevelopment project featuring a new stadium, housing units, retail space and parkland.
The plan to move back to D.C. from the Maryland suburbs is estimated to be around 2030 – that is, if the legislation is approved.
The White House has made it clear that the president’s comments on the NFL team are legitimate.
“The president was serious,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday. “Sports is one of the many passions of this president, and he wants to see the name of that team changed.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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