Major Tuddy, the Commnaders new mascot.

/ Washington Commanders

In what’s seemingly another off-field fumble from one of the NFL’s messiest franchises, The Washington Commanders unveiled a new team mascot on Sunday: a six-foot-five, 230-pound, military-loving hog named Major Tuddy.

The announcement comes as a step in the team’s years-long effort to solidify a new identity — yet after three monikers and more lawsuits, investigations, and congressional probes than one can reasonably keep track of without getting a headache, the reception to Tuddy’s debut suggests that controversy may be the team’s most reliable brand.

Tuddy’s introduction came during half-time of Sunday night’s game against the Cleveland Browns, and in a dramatic video posted to Twitter in which he dabs (?) and rubs his belly a lot. According to Tuddy’s bio, he is a “male hog with exaggerated features that are anatomically similar to the animal, including a large belly, snout, and cloven hooves.” His “silly, playful character” was crafted “with kids in mind” per the franchise. But it looks like there was a breakdown in execution given that he’s now at least one adult’s sleep paralysis demon. (Gritty, he’s coming for your job.)

https://twitter.com/dogunderwater/status/1609720311104118785

The “Major” part of his name is meant to double down on the Commanders’ “military” brand, per the team’s release — another point of consternation for some critics, seeing as the team’s name change was meant to distance the franchise from its previous racist moniker. The Tuddy of it all (pronounced tuh-dee) comes from a slang term for touchdown, or TD, which is apparently something people who know football say. And while it’s not particularly unique for a sports team’s mascot to be met with disapproval, mockery, or even fear by fans, Tuddy’s entrance into the Commanders fray comes in perhaps the most uniquely Commanders way possible: litigiously.

Tuddy’s hog-ness is supposed to pay homage to the original “Hogs,” a group of offensive linemen who led the team to three Super Bowls in the 1980s and early 1990s. Ahead of Tuddy’s unveiling and a concordant celebration of the franchise’s iconic squad on Sunday, the “Hogs” (Joe Jacoby, Mark May, John Riggins, Fred Dean, and Doc Walker) filed a lawsuit against Dan Snyder, accusing the scandal-ridden owner of profiting off their legacy without adequate compensation.

“Dan Snyder and the Washington Commanders are trying to profit off the original HOGS legacy by taking that trademark and associated goodwill and brand equity of the original HOGS,” reads a Dec. 26 release from O-Line Entertainment, the firm representing the Hogs, who plan on obtaining a federal trademark in 2023. “The original HOGS do not want to be associated with the Commanders under its current ownership and management and require that their legacy and brand is protected.”

The Commanders went ahead with the celebration on Sunday, and said in a statement shared by NBC reporter JP Finlay, “We have been working with the Hogs on this event for six months and look forward to welcoming them and Coach Gibbs back.”

Sunday marked the team’s second unveiling that displeased fans in recent months. In November, the team held a ceremony to honor former safety Sean Taylor, who was killed in 2007. This came a year after a separate failed ceremony to retire Taylor’s jersey — a moment the Commanders own president Jason Wright said the franchise “royally f’ed up.” On Nov. 27, 2022, the team revealed a Sean Taylor Memorial inside FedEx Field, which turned out to be less of a reverent statue and more of a Dick’s-Sporting-Goods-esque mannequin wearing what appeared to be Adidas World Cup cleats. Fans criticized the memorial for being a hurried attempt at managing headlines rather than an earnest and respectful tribute to Taylor’s legacy. In a less egregious but on-brand example of “they can’t seem to get this right,” the team also released a new crest logo in February 2022 including the wrong years of their Super Bowl wins. The logo displayed the actual years in which the Superbowl was played — for example, 1992 — and not the year of the season — 1991 — as is commonly credited.

In another “you probably couldn’t write this better” ending, the Commanders lost their Sunday night game to the Browns after Tuddy’s reveal. The loss, coupled with victories by the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, ended their playoff hopes for the season.

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