LANDOVER — Major Tuddy is reporting for duty.
Washington unveiled its hog-themed mascot at halftime of the Commanders’ 24-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, drawing a lukewarm reaction from the crowd. Accompanied by a hype video, the Commanders introduced the mascot named “Major Tuddy” — an ode to Washington’s dominant offensive line that went by the “Hogs” during their three Super Bowl run of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Tuddy, a shortened version of touchdown, is the Commanders’ first official mascot in franchise history. The team announced its plans to have a mascot last February when Washington rebranded to the Commanders from the Washington Football Team.
The Commanders had fans vote on four options for what the mascot should be throughout the offseason, with the final selections narrowed to a hog and dog at the team’s first preseason game in August.
But hog was the clear — and obvious — choice for the franchise, given the team’s history.
He’s kind of a pig deal…
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) January 1, 2023
WELCOME OUR NEW MASCOT, 𝙈𝘼𝙅𝙊𝙍 𝙏𝙐𝘿𝘿𝙔! 🐷 pic.twitter.com/N6eMy6goiV
Meet Major Tuddy pic.twitter.com/MGRox4nU9i
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) January 1, 2023
Commanders fans! There is your Mascot!
— Olivia Garvey (@Olivia7News) January 1, 2023
MAJOR TUDDY pic.twitter.com/iH2mBJs4pY
The Commanders said in a release that Tuddy was a “muscular 6-foot-5, 230-pound male hog with exaggerated features that are anatomically similar to the animal, including a large belly, snout and cloven hooves.” He halls from “Upper Marlboaro” — get it? — and “has a lifelong love for all things DMV, including go-go- music and Mambo Sauce wings.” Major Tuddy, who dons No. 00 as a reference to a hog snout, will wear two colors — burgundy and silver — of a Commanders-branded military hard hat.
The Commanders attempted to make a show of their mascot reveal. For Sunday’s game, the team brought back many of the members who made up the Hogs — as well as the Hogettes, die-hard fans who famously dressed up in dresses, pig snouts, floppy hits and blonde wigs. And Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs even made an appearance, serving as the team’s honorary captain at kickoff.
As fans walked through the gates, the team handed out rubber pig snouts for them to wear.
The unveil was not without some controversy, however. Days earlier, a lawyer representing Joe Jacoby, Mark May, Fred Dean, John Riggins and tight end Rick “Doc” Walker — three members of the Hogs and two members from those teams — threatened a lawsuit against the Commanders over the usage of the Hogs branding.
The former players, known as “O-Line Entertainment LLC,” filed a trademark for the term Hogs, and said they did not want to be associated with the Commanders. Lawyer Seth Berenzweig told The Washington Times that the group was seeking compensation from the team “to provide the proper financial respect to these former players.”
The Commanders said in a statement last week that they had been working on Sunday’s event for six months and looked forward to welcoming them back.
Despite the conflict, Dean and Walker still made an appearance Sunday at FedEx Field.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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