Boston’s definitive football franchise is the New England Patriots, but 80 years ago, the Boston Redskins ruled the gridiron, winning the 1936 Eastern Division Championship but falling to the Green Bay Packers in the NFL Championship. The following year, the team packed up and moved to DC.

The modern day Washington Redskins suffered a disappointing season last year, with a dismal 3 and 13 record, and now the franchise has been dealt another blow. The US Patent and Trademark Office canceled the Redskins’ trademarks, deeming the team name “disparaging” to Native Americans. The ruling stems from a 2006 petition filed by five Native Americans and comes following a media campaign launched by the Oneida Nation.  

GUESTS

Garin Veris is a former defensive end for the New England Patriots and is now a marketing director for the UMass Boston Athletic Program.  

Kerry Byrne is the founder of the sports website Cold, Hard Football Facts.com and a columnist for WEEI and Sports Illustrated.