Fans of the Washington Commanders appear to have mixed feelings about Major Tuddy, the new mascot the team unveiled over the weekend -- and they're sharing their skepticism on social media.
The 6-foot-5-inch tall hog from Upper Marlboaro wears a jersey, a hardhat helmet and a wide grin. According to the team, the name Major harkens back to the D.C. area's military ties, while Tuddy is football slang for a touchdown.
As a hog, he's also an homage to the team’s storied offensive line from the 1980s and 1990s.
And for football fans around the DMV, he's not quite what they had in mind.
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"Huh?" replied one Twitter user after the Commanders introduced their mascot with a video montage.
Some fans were rendered speechless, posting photos of cringing smiles and booing SNL comedians.
Others went further, pointing out similarities to Porky Pig of Looney Tunes fame, and to Pudgy Pig, an unsettling villain from the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" TV show.
Other fans shared more nuanced opinions, stating that they liked parts of the concept for the Commanders mascot, but not the final product.
"I don't understand why so many people are so critical and negative about this mascot," said one fan. "...However, I personally would like it to look a little more aggressive."
"Love the hog. Hate the name," said another.
Unfortunately for the Commanders, the lukewarm reception to Major Tuddy came during the same game that Washington was eliminated from the playoffs.
The Commanders lost 24-10 to the Cleveland Browns, who had already been eliminated from the playoffs when the game was played. Green Bay beating Minnesota eliminated Washington from playoff contention, something head coach Ron Rivera did not know was possible.
“We can be eliminated?” Rivera asked in his postgame news conference. “(If it happens), it'll be disappointing.”
The Commanders have been winless for the past four games, and their elimination after a late-season letdown became fodder for the negative reactions to Major Tuddy's debut.
"Tuddy will now spend the rest of January spinning a sign outside a BBQ restaurant in Woodbridge," said one Twitter user after hearing about the loss.
