Just minutes after Washington's NFL franchise officially rebranded as the Commanders, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser took to Twitter to make the case for the organization to return to playing its home games in the nation's capital.
"Washington's football franchise has had a storied history, and we are excited that today they will begin a new, necessary chapter as the Washington Commanders," Bowser's statement read. "For our football team, every major sports franchise in the region calls D.C. home. The next chapter for the Washington Commanders should be a return to winning, right here in D.C."
Mayor Bowser's comments come less than two weeks after Virginia State Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-29) said Washington was in "serious" discussions to build its new stadium in Virginia.
Following the rebrand unveiling, NBC Sports Washington's JP Finlay asked Washington team president Jason Wright about Mayor Bowser's comments.
"I think it's great to have support from everybody in the area. Whether it's D.C., Maryland or Virginia, they have all been great partners to us, partners to me and stepping in to help lead this franchise," Wright said. "I think what Mayor Bowser and everybody we've talked to knows is that the way we think about that project is first and foremost an economic development and initiative that is going to transform the region for the next three decades."
Wright made it clear that the team is considering all its options for where to build the stadium, including sites in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.Â
"It's important for us to be in sync with all the civic leaders like herself, the folks in Prince George's County, the folks in other counties in Virginia to understand what their objectives are to help transform this economy for their folks, to make a better community for their folks and for us to get in line with that," Wright said.
"That's really what it's about. It's us, as an active service, a foundational aspect of the new brand," Wright added. "It's us, as an active service, coming into line with what folks want to do. That's all we're really thinking about, is how do we best do that."
Now that Washington's rebranding process has launched, the next big project for the organization will be the building of a new stadium. Washington's lease at FexEx Field expires in 2027 and it's no secret that the franchise wants to build a new, state-of-the-art facility that will be much more than just where the Commanders play its home games.