The Washington Commanders have made an impressive leap to the NFC championship game, following a successful 12-5 regular season and two playoff victories. This marks the farthest the team has progressed in over thirty years, a significant improvement from their disheartening 4-13 record in 2023. This remarkable turnaround stems from a comprehensive organizational restructuring, which began with the dismissal of Ron Rivera and the subsequent hiring of new general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn. The acquisition of seasoned players like Bobby Wagner and Zach Ertz, along with the drafting of quarterback Jayden Daniels, has paved the way for an unexpected yet thrilling season for the franchise.
On January 7, 2024, the team suffered a 38-10 defeat to Dallas on Rivera’s 62nd birthday, securing them the second pick in the upcoming draft. This loss opened the opportunity to select a future quarterback. The following day, Rivera was let go, concluding his four-year tenure that featured just one playoff appearance when the team captured the NFC East title in 2020 with a 7-9 record. Managing owner Josh Harris emphasized the need for change, stating, “Clearly, we weren’t good enough this year. We didn’t get it done on the field, and so we’ve decided to go in a new direction.” Harris’s group acquired the team from Dan Snyder in 2023 for a record-setting $6.05 billion for North American professional sports.
To assist in the search for a new general manager and head coach, Harris enlisted the help of seasoned executives like Bob Myers and Rick Spielman. They aimed for a “thorough but rapid” process to fill these crucial positions. By January 12, the Commanders had successfully appointed Peters as their new general manager, a decision quickly announced by the organization a few days later. Peters, who spent the previous three seasons with San Francisco under John Lynch, emerged as a frontrunner among the candidates.
On January 30, Detroit’s offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, a top candidate for the Commanders’ head coach position, decided to remain with the Lions. That same day, Quinn interviewed for the role, competing against defensive coordinators Aaron Glenn and Mike Macdonald. However, the next day, Macdonald accepted a coaching position with the Seattle Seahawks, leaving the path open for Quinn. On February 1, the Commanders swiftly reached an agreement with Quinn, a former Atlanta Falcons coach known for leading the Dallas Cowboys’ defense from 2021 to 2023. Harris praised Quinn for his strong leadership and reputation as one of the league’s premier defensive strategists.
As the organizational shake-up continued, Peters and Quinn made significant coaching hires, with Kliff Kingsbury stepping in as offensive coordinator and Joe Whitt Jr. becoming the defensive coordinator. Kingsbury had initially considered a role with the Las Vegas Raiders but ultimately chose to pursue opportunities with the Commanders. By early March, the team announced the signing of Ertz, a Super Bowl champion with the Eagles, who had recently been freed from the Cardinals. The Commanders also reached agreements with quarterback Marcus Mariota and running back Austin Ekeler, setting their sights on enhancing their roster for the upcoming season.
On March 13, Peters made headlines by signing Bobby Wagner, a six-time All-Pro linebacker, to a lucrative one-year contract. Shortly after, QB Sam Howell was traded to Seattle after starting every game in 2023. The Commanders later selected Daniels, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner from LSU, during the draft on April 26, solidifying their commitment to building a strong future. Peters expressed the organization’s unanimous decision to select Daniels, proclaiming that his arrival would invigorate both players and fans alike.
As training camp progressed, the anticipation surrounding Daniels grew, and on August 19, following impressive performances in the preseason, Quinn officially named him the starting quarterback. Daniels made his professional debut on September 7, where he ran for two touchdowns despite a loss. Following some constructive coaching, he rebounded sharply during his next game, delivering a record-setting performance against Cincinnati in prime time on September 24, leading the Commanders to a thrilling victory and a 3-1 start—their best record in over a decade.
By October 27, Daniels continued to shine, creating memorable moments like a remarkable Hail Mary touchdown against Chicago. With the team’s trajectory steadily rising, they improved to 7-2 following a series of victories. Despite facing a short three-game slump in December, Daniels rebounded spectacularly, propelling the team into the post-season with a victory over Atlanta, where he connected with Ertz for a game-winning touchdown.
The Commanders experienced a significant milestone on January 12, 2025, when they secured their first playoff victory in 19 years by defeating the Buccaneers in a nail-biting wild-card round. Just a week later, they pulled off an upset against the top-seeded Detroit Lions, securing their place in the NFC championship game for the first time since the 1991 season, a year that remains etched in the franchise’s rich history as a Super Bowl-winning campaign.
This narrative has been updated to accurately reflect that Josh Harris’s group acquired the team from former owner Dan Snyder in 2023, not 2022.
