NFL Teams In Need Of A Rebranding
By Avi Carr-Gloth
via ABC13 Houston
When an organization wants or needs to develop a new identity in the minds of their consumers, they rebrand. For NFL teams, rebranding gives them a chance to usher in a new era and associate different images and designs with their brand. Teams with outdated looks, new management, and an uncertain roster are the ones who need an image change over the offseason. Here are the NFL teams that need a rebranding the most.
Washington Football Team
Let’s get the most obvious team out of the way first. Washington had a turbulent offseason, to say the least. Between dropping the team’s controversial mascot, logo and name as well as the sexual harassment allegations, the team is in desperate need of a rebrand. Head coach Ron Rivera was hired a year ago to turn the team’s image around on and off the field. Although they won their division, many long-term questions are facing this troubled organization. After cutting Dwayne Haskins, Washington needs to find their new future at quarterback. Outside of the defensive line, much of the roster needs an influx of new talent badly. While they have a marketable star in Chase Young, the team needs more players to generate national interest for years to come. Although they could keep their current team name in 2021, Washington is in a prime position to change the overall perception of the organization through a full rebrand.
Philadelphia Eagles
It can be hard to remember that the Eagles won the Super Bowl only three years ago. Philadelphia had their first double-digit loss season since 2012 and has one of the most intriguing quarterback situations in the league. Carson Wentz was benched for rookie Jalen Hurts during the team’s Week 13 loss at Green Bay. Hurts has looked good putting up big passing numbers and running the ball effectively. The problem is that the team has so much money already committed to Wentz which would make it difficult to move him even if there were any takers. The team has also had the same primary logo and uniforms since 1996 aside from bringing out their occasional throwbacks. Giving this team a new look for a fresh face at quarterback, and possibly head coach is the right move to usher in a new era of Eagles football.
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are the newest NFL team since joining as an expansion franchise in 2002. They have won four playoff games and have never made it to the AFC Conference Championship Game. Their logo and uniforms have remained mostly unchanged since the team’s inception. Although they have their quarterback of the future in Deshaun Watson, they traded away superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins last offseason and the offensive line needs some major upgrades. Franchise icon J.J. Watt could be gone next year. Houston will be looking for a new coach and general manager after over six years of Bill O’Brien. Several player personnel decisions will need to be made over the offseason. With so much recent change occurring around Watson, and more to come, now is the time to mold the team’s image into something new.
Cincinnati Bengals
It’s a surprise that the Bengals decided not to launch into a rebrand in 2019 after parting ways with head coach Marvin Lewis after 16 seasons. Then again, this is the organization that kept Marvin Lewis around for 16 seasons despite zero playoff wins. Zac Taylor has this team playing hard since being hired before the 2019 NFL season, including a signature win over Pittsburgh in Week 15 of this year. Joe Burrow looked like the real deal before going down with a torn ACL and could be the future face of the league. There are many talented young players on the roster serving as the foundation of Cincinnati’s rebuild. While their helmets remain among the NFL’s best, their current uniforms have been around since 2004 and are in need of an update. The Bengals would do well to change their primary logo from the letter ‘B’ back to a tiger.
Avi is sports writer for La Tonique Media.
