The Washington Commanders began as the Boston Braves in 1932. They would only play one season as the Braves before changing their name to the Boston Redskins. In 1936 the Skins went to their first championship game losing to the Packers. In 1937 ownership decided Boston wasn’t showing enough interest in the team, and they headed for Washington DC. In their first year in the new city, they won the championship game over the Bears.
In 1940 they faced the Bears again in the championship in a beating they would rather forget. With the rivalry now set, the teams seemed destined to continue meeting in the championship game. The Redskins won in ’42 and the Bears won in ’43. The redskins went back to the championship in ’45, then came a long drought.
The decline was long, but DC fans are a dedicated bunch and they kept going to the games. They were rewarded in 1971 with a return to the playoffs. In ’72 they went to the Super Bowl. In 1981 the Joe Gibbs era began. In the season of 1982, the Redskins were Super Bowl champions. The Skins were back in the Super Bowl the following year, which ended with a loss to the Raiders. In 1985, in a play that was caught on camera and forever etched in Redskins fans’ memories, Joe Theisman was hit and suffered a career-ending compound leg fracture.
That would also pretty much end Washington’s playoff hopes. In 1987, with Doug Williams protected by the Hog’s offensive line, the Skins took the Lombardi trophy back to the District where Hail to the Redskins, the Redskins fight song, was being played everywhere. In 1991, the team would again become champs, defeating the Buffalo Bills.
After beloved owner Jack Kent Cooke’s death, his son named the new stadium Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. In 1999, when Daniel Snyder took over ownership, in a move that immediately alienated the fan base, he sold the naming rights to FedEx. The team would not do particularly well under Snyder’s leadership. While there were some good playoff seasons, the success they enjoyed under Joe Gibb’s first coaching stint never returned, and many blame that on Snyder’s controlling nature. After investigations of workplace harassment, Snyder stepped down from the day-to-day management of the team, and the now controlling parties angered many fans by changing the name they cherished for the absurd and unimaginative Washington Football Team.
They would eventually rebrand the team as the Washington Commanders, which would settle much of that anger. The team has since been sold to an investment group, and the head of that group has hinted at a possible return to the old Redskins name and logo. A fan petition has since garnered over 50,000 signatures in support of that.
Regardless of the name and logo, the new ownership shows they are looking to bring the Commanders back to prominence. They won’t have far to go as they still have a good core of players and reached the division title as recently as 2020. This past season the Burgundy and Gold looked good on the field, and it appears the Boys from DC are moving back in the right direction.
Commanders fans are among the most loyal in football, and we know you want to see every play of every game of the season. That’s why you should make NFL Webcast your home for the Commanders 2023 season!
NFL Webcast provides you with multiple HD streams including home and away, so you can watch the game live from anywhere in the world. Join us in the optional live chat and show the pride of the capital city in your team as they take on historic rival the Dallas Cowboys and their nearby Maryland rival, the Baltimore Ravens.
There is no cost and no sign-up, so join us on NFL Webcast! Whether you’re an old-school “Hogette” or new to the sport, NFL Webcast is the place to be! HAIL TO THE COMMANDERS!