Earlier this week, almost 50 Democratic U.S. senators signed and sent a letter to the NFL urging it to replace the name of the Washington Redskins because of its derogatory implication.

The letter, signed by zero Republican senators, was largest congressional effort to get the team name altered in what has been a decades-long battle, MSNBC reported.

Following the fallout from the racial remarks made by Los Angeles Clipper's owner David Sterling and the action NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took in firing the 80-year-old, the senators called on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to be a hardliner on racism in the organization.

"We urge you and the National Football League to send the same clear message as the NBA did: that racism and bigotry have no place in professional sports. It's time for the NFL to endorse a name change for the Washington, D.C., football team," the 49 senators wrote Wednesday.

"The despicable comments made by Mr. Sterling have opened up a national conversation about race relations. We believe this conversation is an opportunity for the NFL to take action to remove the racial slur from the name of its marquee franchises."

NFL responded to the senators' letter Thursday in which the organization stood behind Redskins owner Daniel Snyder who has opposed changing the name, according to ESPN.

"We have not received the letter, but the NFL has long demonstrated a commitment to progressive leadership on issues of diversity and inclusion, both on and off the field," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement. "The intent of the team's name has always been to present a strong, positive and respectful image. The team name is not used by the team or the NFL in any other context, though we respect those that view it differently."

Jackie Pata, the National Congress of American Indians executive director, said the NFL should change the name if the organization wants to "contribute to the" nation's "positive image, ESPN reported.

"The NFL is a global brand," Pata said in a statement. "But it wants to contribute to the positive image of the United States across the world rather than callously promoting discrimination against Native Americas, then it must stop promoting this slur and finally change the name."