{"id":54610,"date":"2024-11-27T13:18:10","date_gmt":"2024-11-27T18:18:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/?p=54610"},"modified":"2024-11-27T13:35:44","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T18:35:44","slug":"daily-montanan-blackfeet-family-aims-to-keep-nfl-logo-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2024\/11\/27\/daily-montanan-blackfeet-family-aims-to-keep-nfl-logo-alive\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily Montanan: Blackfeet family aims to keep NFL logo alive"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Steve<\/a>
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Montana) advocates for the NFL and Washington Commanders to honor Blackie Wetzel\u2019s push the team use a Native American in its logo years earlier. Photo provided by Daines\u2019 office<\/figcaption>\r\n
Daines says DC can move ahead with football plans after pledging to honor logo with Blackfeet ties<\/div>\r\n
Wednesday, November 27, 2024<\/div>\r\n
By Keila Szpaller, Daily Montanan<\/a><\/div>\r\n

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The famous and defunct football logo of an American Indian chief used at the urging of a Blackfeet Nation tribal leader could make an appearance on a throwback jersey in the future \u2014 for example \u2014 or in a sports arena.<\/p>

Nothing is set in stone, but Ryan Wetzel said last Tuesday he feels confident a concrete plan will emerge to honor his grandfather\u2019s legacy<\/a> having worked during the course of a year with the Washington Commanders and the National Football League thanks to the support of U.S. Sen. Steve Daines.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to even have that conversation after they said it (the logo) would be gone forever,\u201d Wetzel said.<\/p>

The logo was used for nearly 50 years by the Washington \u201cRedskins.\u201d The team name was dropped in 2020 and is considered racist, but the Wetzel family of Montana hasn\u2019t wanted the logo to disappear with it.<\/p>

A Native American Studies professor at the University of Montana said a vocal minority in Montana are proponents of the use of mascots, especially for the Washington team. She said it\u2019s important to both respect their opinions and understand the detrimental psychological effects of mascots on youth.<\/p>\r\n

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\r\n\"Steve<\/a><\/div>\r\n
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Montana), right, meets Don Wetzel in Washington, D.C., November 2021. Photo provided by Daines\u2019 office<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n

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Last Tuesday, the office of Sen. Daines said a plan to honor the American Indian chief logo inspired by the late Blackfeet Tribal chairman Blackie Wetzel took a step forward in a U.S. Senate committee the same day.<\/p>

More than one year ago, House Resolution 4984<\/a> was proposed to transfer jurisdiction of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus from the National Park Service to the District of Columbia, in part to develop a new stadium.<\/p>

ESPN earlier reported<\/a> the Washington Commanders supported the measure. In August, the Associated Press reported<\/a> the owners were hoping to use the RFK site for a new stadium, but needed the Senate to sign off on the deal.<\/p>

Daines, however, pledged to block the transfer until the Washington Commanders and the NFL worked with the Wetzel family to find a way to honor their legacy and Native American communities \u2014 and the Washington Post reported Daines could hold up the resolution on his own.<\/p>

Last Tuesday, however, Daines, a Republican, was among 17 senators who voted in support of the measure in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, sending it to the full Senate with just two no votes, according to a count provided by his office.<\/p>

\u201cI urge the team to continue their dialogue and reach a conclusion that honors their past, honors Don Wetzel\u2019s vision to use the logo to help Indian Country and honors the will of the Blackfeet Tribe to restore the logo to a place of honor and prominence,\u201d Daines said in a statement; Don Wetzel is Blackie Wetzel\u2019s son.<\/p>\r\n

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