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.
Antwaan Randle El is an American football coach and former player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers, earning first-team All-American honors in 2001. He also played basketball and baseball for the Hoosiers. For a time, he was also a sideline reporter for the Big Ten Network for interconference games that the Indiana football team plays.
Earnest Alexander Byner is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates. He is now the running back coach of Out-of-Door Academy.
Robert Cornelius Mitchell was an American professional football player who was a halfback and flanker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Redskins. Mitchell became the Redskins' first African-American star after joining them in 1962, when they became the last NFL team to integrate. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
Reggie Brown is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at The University of Georgia.
Ernest R. Davis was an American college football player for the Syracuse Orangemen who won the Heisman Trophy in 1961. He was the award's first African American recipient. Davis was selected by the Washington Redskins with the first overall pick of the 1962 NFL Draft, but was almost immediately traded to the Cleveland Browns. He was diagnosed with leukemia that same year, and died shortly after at age 23 without ever playing in a professional game. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1979 and was the subject of the 2008 film The Express: The Ernie Davis Story.
Neil William "Rickety" Rackers is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini. Rackers was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, and also played for the NFL's Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, and Washington Redskins.
Terrance Joseph Robiskie is a former American football coach and player. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Raiders, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jay Brian Schroeder is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at UCLA, after which he was selected in the third round of the 1984 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins where he played for four seasons. He then played for the Los Angeles Raiders for five seasons and spent one season each with the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals.
Hue Jackson is an American football coach who was most recently the head football coach at Grambling State University. An offensive assistant at both the collegiate and professional levels, he held coordinator positions in the National Football League (NFL) with the Washington Redskins in 2003, the Atlanta Falcons in 2007, the Oakland Raiders in 2010, and the Cincinnati Bengals from 2014 to 2015. He also served as the head coach of the Raiders in 2011 and Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. Jackson compiled a 3–36–1 record with the Browns, including a winless season in 2017, which is the worst record among coaches who presided over an NFL team for at least 40 games.
DeSean William Jackson is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears, where he was recognized as a two-time, first-team All-American in 2006 and 2007. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and also played for the Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, and Baltimore Ravens. Jackson was selected to the Pro Bowl three times, and was the first player selected to the Pro Bowl at two different positions in the same year when he was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl as a wide receiver and return specialist.
Tanard Ricardo Jackson is a former American football safety. He played college football at Syracuse and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He was also a member of the Washington Redskins before being suspended indefinitely in July 2014 for being a repeat offender of the NFL's substance abuse policies during his career. Jackson is the only player in NFL history to record an interception against Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in his career.
Willie Bernard Jackson Jr. is a former American professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Florida. As a football coach, he was the wide receivers coach for the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football (AAF).
Andrew Bertram Cvercko was an American football guard in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins. He played college football at Northwestern University.
Robert Gene Jackson is a former American football linebacker who played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft as a defensive end. He played college football at Kansas State University.
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.
Jordan Reed is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. With the Redskins, he was considered to be among the best at his position before multiple injuries led to him being released. He played his final season for the San Francisco 49ers in 2020 before retiring due to concussion-related health issues.
Jamison Wesley Crowder is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Duke, and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He has also played for the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.
David Lee "Trey" Quinn III is an American football wide receiver for the Michigan Panthers of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at LSU and SMU. Quinn was selected by the Washington Redskins with the final pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, making him that year's Mr. Irrelevant. He has also been a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, and Detroit Lions.
Gregory O'Neill Stroman Jr. is an American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
