Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in Landover, Maryland, competing in the National Football League (NFL). Established in 1932, the franchise originally began as the Boston Braves before relocating to Washington, D.C., in 1937 and subsequently changing its name to the Redskins. The name sparked controversy over the years due to its perceived cultural insensitivity, leading to its retirement in July 2020. After two seasons as the Washington Football Team, the franchise adopted the name Washington Commanders in February 2022.
Historically, the Commanders have experienced both success and challenges on the field, securing three Super Bowl championships between 1983 and 1992, but facing a prolonged period of struggles in the years following 1999. As of 2023, the team is owned by businessman Josh Harris, who acquired the franchise for $6.05 billion. The team’s colors remain burgundy and gold, reflecting its longstanding heritage, and it has produced numerous notable players who have made significant contributions to the sport, including Pro Football Hall of Famers. The Commanders continue to navigate their identity and legacy within the broader context of the NFL and American sports culture.
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Washington Commanders
Inaugural season: 1932
Home field: FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
Owner: Josh Harris
Team colors: Burgundy and gold
Overview
The Washington Commanders is a National Football League (NFL) franchise that began play in the 1932 season. The team was originally based in Boston, Massachusetts, where it was named the Braves. The franchise changed its name to the Redskins in 1933, and four years later moved to Washington, DC. That name generated much controversy over the decades, particularly among American Indian activists and other who argued that the term is racist and culturally offensive. Although team officials long vowed to keep the name and insisted it was meant to honor Native Americans, increasing pressure from sponsors and the public led the franchise to retire it in July 2020. After nearly two full seasons playing as the Washington Football Team, the team announced its new name, the Washington Commanders, in February 2022. In 2023, the team was purchased by Josh Harris.
On the field, the Commanders have alternated between periods of sustained success and lingering frustration. The team won two NFL Championships in its first six years in Washington, DC. They then consistently posted losing records from the late 1940s to the late 1960s. In the Super Bowl era (1967 to present), Washington captured three titles from 1983 to 1992. However, after the 1999 season the team entered another prolonged period of struggles, advancing to the postseason only four times in the next two decades. Still, by the 2021 season, Washington was one of just a handful of teams in the NFL to have at least 600 overall wins, and was ranked as one of the most valuable franchises in the league.
History
In 1932, businessman George Preston Marshall was granted ownership of an inactive NFL franchise in Boston. He originally named the team the Braves, but changed it after one season to avoid confusion with Boston’s National League baseball team of the same name. Team colors were burgundy and gold, and the team logo was that of a Native American man in profile wearing a feathered headdress. Variations of that image were used as the team’s logo for decades. However, both the name and the logo sparked frequent protests by those who considered it a racist depiction of Native Americans.
In 1937, Marshall moved the team to Washington, DC. That same year, the innovative Marshall became the first NFL owner to introduce a team fight song and marching band during games. More important, the team signed quarterback Sammy Baugh, a college star at Texas Christian University. Baugh was a passing quarterback at a time when running the football was more prevalent. Behind Baugh’s three touchdown passes, Washington won the NFL Championship in 1937. The team won another championship in 1942. However, between those two titles, Washington set an embarrassing NFL record: in the 1940 NFL Championship game, the Chicago Bears beat Washington 73–0, the largest margin of defeat in NFL history.
During the 1940s, Washington became one of the first NFL teams to have its games broadcast on a radio network. By the early 1950s, the team’s games were also broadcast on a local television network, making Washington the first NFL franchise to have all of its games televised. On the field, Washington began to struggle after losing the 1945 NFL Championship game. The team failed to make the playoffs from 1946 to 1970 and finished with a losing record eighteen times. During the 1961 season, the Dallas Cowboys joined Washington in the NFL’s Eastern Conference, beginning a heated rivalry between the two franchises. Washington already had longstanding rivalries with the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles dating back to the 1930s. When the NFL realigned in 1970, Washington, Dallas, New York, and Philadelphia became part of the East Division of the National Football Conference (NFC).
In the early 1970s, Washington’s fortunes began to change with the hiring of George Allen as head coach. Under his leadership, Washington made the playoffs six times from 1971 to 1976. In January 1973, the team played in Super Bowl VII only to lose to the Miami Dolphins, 14–7. In 1981, the team hired future Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Joe Gibbs as head coach. Gibbs’ teams were known for their well-balanced offenses led by powerful linemen nicknamed “The Hogs.” In the 1982 season, Gibbs led Washington to the playoffs and defeated the rival Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game to advance to Super Bowl XVII. Powered by a dominant running attack, Washington outlasted Miami to win the first Super Bowl in franchise history, 27–17. During the 1983 season, Washington boasted one of the best offenses in NFL history, setting what was then an NFL record for points scored. Despite being favored, Washington surprisingly got blown out by the Oakland Raiders, 38–9, in Super Bowl XVII.
Washington made the playoffs eight times in Gibbs’s first eleven years as head coach. In January 1988, the team won its second Super Bowl, scoring a playoff record 35 points in the second quarter in a 42–10 win over the Denver Broncos. In January 1992, Washington captured its third Super Bowl title with a dominating 37–24 victory over the Buffalo Bills. Gibbs retired after the 1992 season, leading to several down years for the franchise. In 1997, Washington moved into a new stadium in Landover, Maryland. The facility was originally named Jack Kent Cooke Stadium after the team’s owner from 1974 to 1997. In 2000, the stadium was renamed FedEx Field.
In 1999, Washington finished 10–6 and won its division, only to lose in the playoffs. That same year, the franchise was purchased by businessman Daniel Snyder. The outspoken Snyder often drew criticism for his management style and was perceived as meddling in the team’s on-field personnel decisions. Snyder also remained adamant about keeping the team’s controversial name and logo.
From 2000 to 2019, Washington won its division twice and made the playoffs just four times. The team posted twelve losing seasons during that period, including a franchise record-tying thirteen losses in 2013 and 2019. In 2004, the team attempted to recapture its past glory by hiring Joe Gibbs out of retirement, but he only made one playoff appearance in four seasons. In 2014, Washington hired Jay Gruden as head coach. After suffering through another losing season in 2014, Gruden led the team to a division title and playoff berth in 2015. However, the team was unable to build on that success and finished in third place in the NFC East Division the next three seasons before falling to fourth place in 2019.
In June 2020, as widespread protests against racism began throughout the United States, Washington's controversial name once again made headlines. Although Snyder at first continued to resist calls to change the team's name, in early July a group of team shareholders and investors sent a letter to major team sponsors asking them to withdraw support unless the name was changed. Soon after, sponsors such as FedEx and Nike stated their support for a new name, and several major retailers said they would stop selling Washington Redskins merchandise. The team announced it would conduct a review, and on July 13 officially retired the controversial name and logo. It was then announced that the franchise would operate as the Washington Football Team, using the same burgundy and gold color scheme, until a different name could be chosen. The team played as the Washington Football Team for the entirety of the 2020 and 2021 NFL seasons; they finished both years with losing records.
After a thorough review process, the team announced its new name, the Washington Commanders, on February 2, 2022. The team also revealed its new logo and uniforms, though it preserved its traditional burgundy and gold color scheme. In July 2023, the Commanders were acquired by businessman Josh Harris, with an ownership group, for $6.05 billion.
Notable players
By 2019, fifteen players who played most of their careers with Washington had been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Several other hall-of-famers played briefly for the team. George Allen and Joe Gibbs are among three Washington head coaches to be inducted into Canton. Gibbs is the franchise’s winningest coach, posting 154 victories in his two stints with the team. George Preston Marshall was also named to the Hall of Fame in 1963.
Sammy Baugh was the first Washington player to make the hall, joining Marshall in the 1963 class. Baugh was also the first player in team history to have his jersey number retired by the franchise. In 2020 Bobby Mitchell became the second player to have his number retired. Mitchell was the team's first Black player (Washington was the last NFL franchise to integrate, in 1962) and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Quarterback Sonny Jurgensen led the team in the 1960s and early 1970s and was part of Washington’s 1972 Super Bowl team, though by then he was near the end of his career and relegated to backup duty. His jersey number was retired in 2022. Jurgensen’s main passing target, Charley Taylor, stood out as one of the best wide receivers of the era. Jurgensen was enshrined in Canton in 1983 and Taylor in 1984. Another player from the 1972 team, running back Larry Brown, won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award that season.
The dominant Washington teams of the early 1980s were led by quarterback Joe Theismann and hall-of-fame running back John Riggins. It was Riggins’s 43-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XVII that gave Washington the lead and earned him the game’s MVP award. Other players from that team included wide receiver Art Monk and offensive lineman Russ Grimm, one of the founding members of The Hogs. Monk and Grimm were both later inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 1982, kicker Mark Moseley won the NFL MVP award, the only kicker ever to win that honor.
The 1988 Super Bowl-winning team was led by quarterback Doug Williams. Williams initially began the season as the backup, but stepped in when the team’s starter was injured. He threw for four TD passes and 340 yards in the Super Bowl, earning the MVP award. Monk was also a member of that team as was hall-of-fame cornerback Darrell Green, who gained a reputation as one of the fastest players in the NFL.
Quarterback Mark Rypien guided Washington to victory in Super Bowl XXVI in January 1992. He threw for 292 yards and two TDs, earning MVP honors. In 1996, running back Terry Allen led the NFL with 21 rushing touchdowns, just three short of the franchise record set by Riggins in 1983. From 2004 to 2008, Clinton Portis was one of the top running backs in the league. In 2004, the team drafted safety Sean Taylor, who was quickly becoming one of the best defensive players in the NFL. Taylor made the Pro Bowl in 2006 and was on his way to the honor again in 2007 when he was shot and killed by an intruder who broke into his home. Taylor was inducted into the team’s Ring of Fame in 2008. His jersey number was retired in 2021.
Bibliography
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