ASHBURN, Va. — Since changing their name in 2020 – first to the Washington Football Team and again two years later – the Washington Commanders have left references to their former moniker and branding behind.

Until Saturday, when first-year Commanders head coach Dan Quinn met with the media during rookie minicamp while wearing an unlicensed shirt that combined the team's current logo with a portion of its previous one, which included Native American imagery.

The reactions on social media were intense, not unusual for the topic at hand. The organization itself had no comment.

As his team began OTAs, Quinn said the entire news cycle was "a great lesson."

“I think one of the parts of me taking this job, I was excited to bridge the past and present. What a cool privilege that is to do," Quinn said Tuesday. "I also recognize that there’s a lot of layers to that. So, it was a lesson for me. What I really hate is any of the attention taken away from these rookies and this awesome crew. Nobody wants to do that."

Quinn was then asked if he noticed the social-media reaction from former Washington players and fans who were excited by Quinn’s embrace of the past.

“No,” he said.

Rick “Doc” Walker, a Super Bowl champion with Washington who played for the team from 1980-85, said, "what I love about him is he did it for us, he did it for the alums … he understands the importance."

When a group led by Josh Harris purchased the team last year and speculation mounted regarding the possibility of another name change, going back to the former name, team president Jason Wright said, was not an option.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Commanders coach Dan Quinn explains why he wore controversial shirt