Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, competing in the National Football League's NFC East division. Founded by George Preston Marshall as the Boston Braves in 1932, the franchise underwent several name changes, becoming the Boston Redskins in 1933 and the Washington Redskins upon relocating to D.C. in 1937. After decades of criticism over the Redskins name and logo, the team retired them in 2020, playing as the Washington Football Team for two seasons before rebranding as the Commanders in 2022.

The Commanders call Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, their home, with headquarters and training facilities in Ashburn, Virginia. A new stadium at the RFK Campus is slated for 2030. The franchise has played over 1,300 games, winning more than 600. They were among the first NFL teams to have an original fight song, "Hail to the Commanders," which their marching band has played after home touchdowns since 1937. The team claimed NFL championships in 1937 and 1942, and Super Bowl victories in XVII (1982), XXII (1987), and XXVI (1991). They've also been league runners-up six times, including four NFL title game losses and Super Bowl VII (1972) and XVIII (1983). With 14 NFC East division titles and 26 playoff appearances, the Commanders' success has come in spurts.

All of Washington's championships arrived within two distinct ten-year windows. From 1936 to 1945, under general manager Jack Espey and head coach Ray Flaherty, the team made six NFL Championship appearances, winning two. Then, from 1982 to 1991, with owner Jack Kent Cooke, general managers Bobby Beathard and Charley Casserly, and head coach Joe Gibbs, they appeared in four Super Bowls, winning three. The years in between were lean: from 1946 to 1970, Washington posted just four winning seasons and no playoff berths, including a stretch of 13 consecutive losing seasons from 1956 to 1968, with a 1–12–1 record in 1961 as the low point. Since their last Super Bowl win in 1991, the team has managed only five playoff victories and four division titles. [edit]

The franchise began in 1932 as the Boston Braves, named after the city's baseball team, but George Preston Marshall quickly changed the name to the Redskins the following year. In 1937, the team moved to Washington, D.C., and the name stuck for over eight decades. The early years brought two NFL championships under coach Ray Flaherty, with star players like Sammy Baugh defining the era. After a long drought, the team re-emerged in the 1980s under coach Joe Gibbs, winning three Super Bowls with a roster featuring John Riggins, Art Monk, and Darrell Green.

The 1990s and 2000s were marked by inconsistency, with brief playoff runs but no sustained success. The team changed ownership multiple times, with Dan Snyder's tenure from 1999 to 2023 drawing heavy criticism. In 2020, amid social justice movements, the team retired the Redskins name and played as the Washington Football Team for two seasons. New owner Josh Harris, who purchased the team in 2023, oversaw the rebranding to the Commanders in 2022. The current era, led by quarterback Jayden Daniels and coach Dan Quinn, has brought renewed optimism to a fan base hungry for a return to glory. [edit]