The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays its home games at FedExField in Landover, Maryland; its headquarters and training facility are in Ashburn, Virginia. The team has played more than 1,000 games and is one of only five in the NFL with more than 600 total wins. Washington was among the first NFL franchises with a fight song: "Hail to the Commanders", played by their marching band after every touchdown scored by the team at home. The franchise is owned by a group headed by Josh Harris, who acquired the team from Daniel Snyder for $6.05 billion in 2023.
Douglas Lee Williams is an American football executive and former quarterback and coach. Williams is best known for his performance with the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII against the Denver Broncos, making him the first black quarterback to both start and win a Super Bowl. He was named Super Bowl MVP after breaking two Super Bowl passing records: 340 yards total, and being the first to throw four touchdowns in a single quarter.
George Herbert Allen was an American football coach. He served as the head coach for two teams in the National Football League (NFL), the Los Angeles Rams from 1966 to 1970 and the Washington Redskins from 1971 to 1977. Allen led his teams to winning records in all 12 of his seasons as an NFL head coach, compiling an overall regular-season record of 116–47–5. Seven of his teams qualified for the NFL playoffs, including the 1972 Washington Redskins, who reached Super Bowl VII, losing to Don Shula's Miami Dolphins. Allen made a brief return as head coach of the Rams in 1978, but was fired before the regular season commenced.
Clinton Earl Portis is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. Portis was best known for being the starting running back for the Washington Redskins for seven seasons, in which he gained an average of 81.2 yards rushing per game, for which a select panel of celebrities included him as one of the 80 Greatest Redskins.
Sean Michael Maurice Taylor was an American professional football player who was a free safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected fifth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins, where he played four seasons until his murder in 2007.
Jeffrey Scott George is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He played college football at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where he won the Sammy Baugh Trophy, and was selected first overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1990 NFL Draft. A member of seven NFL teams during his career, George helped the 1995 Atlanta Falcons and the 1999 Minnesota Vikings reach the playoffs and led the league in passing yards in 1997 with the Oakland Raiders. George's NFL tenure would also be marked by frequent conflicts with coaches and management, which resulted in his departure from most of his teams.
Charles Robert Taylor was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for 13 seasons with the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils, he was selected by Washington in the first round of the 1964 NFL Draft. With Taylor, the Redskins made the playoffs five times and reached the Super Bowl once (VII), after the 1972 season. A six-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl selection, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984.
Donald James Warren is an American former professional football player and scout in the National Football League (NFL). He played as a tight end for his entire 14-year playing career with the Washington Redskins, winning three Super Bowls.
The Washington Commanders, an American football team belonging to the National Football League (NFL), have also played as the Boston Braves, Boston Redskins, Washington Redskins, and Washington Football Team. Founded in 1932, the team has won five professional American football championships including two NFL Championships and three Super Bowls. Washington has also captured 15 NFL divisional titles and five NFC championships. The team played as the Washington Redskins from 1932 to 2019, as the Football Team in 2020 and 2021 before rebranding as the Commanders in 2022.
Raymond Paul Flaherty was an American professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He was part of three NFL championship teams, one as a player and two as a head coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a coach.
James Martin Michael Hanifan was an American professional football player and coach. He served as the head coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) from 1980 to 1985 and as interim head coach for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons for four games in 1989, compiling a record of 39–53–1.
Jay Michael Gruden is an American football coach and former quarterback. He previously served as the head coach of the Washington Redskins from 2014 to 2019 and as offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars. During his time in the Arena Football League (AFL), he won four ArenaBowls as a player and two more as a head coach. Gruden is the younger brother of former NFL head coach Jon Gruden and was an assistant coach of the 2002 Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl XXXVII.
LaVern Earl "Torgy" Torgeson was an American football player and coach. He played college football for Washington State from 1948 through 1950. Torgeson played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, principally as a linebacker, for the Detroit Lions from 1951 to 1954 and for the Washington Redskins from 1955 to 1957.
Stanley Anthony Woods is a former professional American football linebacker and defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) who played for the Seattle Seahawks from 1987 to 1992, as well as the Los Angeles Rams and the Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Pittsburgh.
Robert Lee Griffin III, nicknamed RGIII or RG3, is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons, most notably with the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the Baylor Bears, winning the Heisman Trophy as a senior, and was selected second overall by the Redskins in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Arthur Willis Jones III is a former American football defensive end who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Syracuse. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft and won Super Bowl XLVII with them. Jones has also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins. He is also the older brother of UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, and Super Bowl winner, former defensive end Chandler Jones of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Nico Johnson is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at Alabama, where he was a member of National Championship teams in 2009, 2011, and 2012.
Jawan Jamison is a former American football running back. He played college football for Rutgers University. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He was considered one of the best running backs in his class.
Dwayne Haskins Jr. was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons. He played college football at Ohio State University, where he set the Big Ten Conference records for single-season passing yards and passing touchdowns as a sophomore. His success earned him the Sammy Baugh Trophy and Kellen Moore Award, along with several conference honors.
James Willie Rowe III is an American football coach who is currently the defensive passing game coordinator for the University of South Florida. In 2021, he was the cornerbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts. A 15-year coaching veteran, Rowe has four seasons of experience in the NFL. He was a three-year letterwinner (2005–07) as a baseball player at South Florida.
