The Washington Commanders are a professional American football franchise based in the Washington metropolitan area. They are members of the East division in the National Football Conference (NFC) of the National Football League (NFL). The Commanders were founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves, named after the local baseball franchise. [1] The franchise changed its name the following year to the Redskins and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1937. [1] In 2020, the team retired the Redskins name after longstanding controversies surrounding it and briefly played as the Washington Football Team before becoming the Commanders in 2022. [1] The team's current starting quarterback is Jayden Daniels, having started since 2024.
The Commanders have had 70 quarterbacks start at least one game in the history of their franchise. Recently, the team has been notable for its instability at the quarterback position. [2] [3] Since 2000, the Commanders have 27 different starting quarterbacks [2] [3] and only two have started entire consecutive seasons: Jason Campbell (2008 – 2009) and Kirk Cousins (2015 – 2017). [2] Only two Washington quarterbacks have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Sammy Baugh (1937 – 1952) and Sonny Jurgensen (1964 – 1974). [4]
Season | Quarterback(s) | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
1936 | Riley Smith (0–1) | ||
1937 | Sammy Baugh (1–0) | Baugh led the Redskins to the NFL Championship game against the Chicago Bears, where he finished 17 of 33 for 335 yards and his second-half touchdown passes of 55, 78 and 33 yards gave Washington a 28–21 victory. [154] His 335 passing yards remained the most ever in a playoff game by any rookie quarterback in NFL history until Russell Wilson broke the record in 2012. | |
1940 | Sammy Baugh (0–1) | ||
1942 | Sammy Baugh (1–0) | ||
1943 | Sammy Baugh (1–1) | ||
1945 | Sammy Baugh (0–1) | ||
1971 | Billy Kilmer (0–1) | [45] | |
1972 | Billy Kilmer (2–1) | [47] | |
1973 | Billy Kilmer (0–1) | [49] | |
1974 | Billy Kilmer (0–1) | [51] | |
1976 | Billy Kilmer (0–1) | [55] | |
1982 | Joe Theismann (4–0) | [65] | |
1983 | Joe Theismann (2–1) | [66] | |
1984 | Joe Theismann (0–1) | [67] | |
1986 | Jay Schroeder (2–1) | [70] | |
1987 | Doug Williams (3–0) | Williams led the team to Super Bowl XXII in which they routed the Denver Broncos, becoming the first black quarterback to both play in and win a Super Bowl. [155] [156] | [73] |
1990 | Mark Rypien (1–1) | [78] | |
1991 | Mark Rypien (3–0) | [81] | |
1992 | Mark Rypien (1–1) | [82] | |
1999 | Brad Johnson (1–1) | [96] | |
2005 | Mark Brunell (1–1) | [108] | |
2007 | Todd Collins (0–1) | [113] | |
2012 | Robert Griffin III (0–1) | [121] | |
2015 | Kirk Cousins (0–1) | [129] | |
2020 | Taylor Heinicke (0–1) | [157] |
Super Bowl XVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Miami Dolphins and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the strike-shortened 1982 season. The Redskins defeated the Dolphins, 27–17, to win their first Super Bowl championship. The game was played on January 30, 1983, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion and defending Super Bowl XVII champion Washington Redskins and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Los Angeles Raiders to determine the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1983 season. The Raiders defeated the Redskins, 38–9. The Raiders' 38 points scored and 29-point margin of victory broke Super Bowl records; it remains the most points scored by an AFC team in a Super Bowl, later matched by the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. This is the first time the city of Tampa hosted the Super Bowl and was the AFC's last Super Bowl win until Super Bowl XXXII, won by the Denver Broncos.
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 Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland; its headquarters and training facility are in Ashburn, Virginia. The Commanders have played more than 1,300 games and have won more than 600. Washington was among the first NFL franchises with a fight song, "Hail to the Commanders", which is played by their marching band after every home game touchdown. The Commanders are owned by a group managed by Josh Harris, who acquired the franchise from Daniel Snyder in 2023 for $6.05 billion.
Mark Robert Rypien is a Canadian-American former professional football quarterback for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Washington State Cougars and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the 1986 NFL draft. He was the first Canadian-born quarterback to both start in the NFL and be named Super Bowl MVP, doing so in Super Bowl XXVI with the Redskins. He also played for several other NFL teams. His nephew Brett plays in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings.
Richard Joseph Gannon is an American former professional football quarterback who played 18 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Subsequently, he was a sports commentator with CBS Sports for 16 years.
Christian Adolph "Sonny" Jurgensen III is an American former professional football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, playing for the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983. Jurgensen was also a longtime color commentator for Washington's radio broadcast crew.
Joseph Robert Theismann is an American former professional football player, sports commentator, corporate speaker, and restaurateur. He rose to fame playing quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). Theismann spent 12 seasons with the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and helped the team to consecutive Super Bowl appearances, winning Super Bowl XVII over the Miami Dolphins and losing Super Bowl XVIII. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
Gustave Joseph Frerotte is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL draft. He played college football at Tulsa.
William Orland Kilmer Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Redskins. He was also used as a running back and wide receiver. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, then 18 seasons as a professional. In 1964, while playing running back for the 49ers, Kilmer played a supporting role in one of the most infamous incidents in gridiron history when Vikings defensive lineman Jim Marshall ran Kilmer's fumble back 66 yards into the wrong end zone.
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football franchise based in the Washington metropolitan area. They are members of the East division in the National Football Conference (NFC) of the National Football League (NFL). The Commanders were founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves, named after the local baseball franchise. The franchise changed its name the following year to the Redskins and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1937. In 2020, the team retired the Redskins name after longstanding controversies surrounding it and briefly became the Washington Football Team, before choosing the Washington Commanders as their permanent name in 2022.
Jay Brian Schroeder is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, 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.
Raymond Vincent Buivid was an American football player who played quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears.
George William Izo was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, and the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1960 to 1966, having earlier played college football at the University of Notre Dame.
The 1977 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 40th year with the National Football League and the 32nd season in Los Angeles.
The DC Touchdown Club, earlier known as The Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C., was started in 1935 with a passion for charity and sports. In the ensuing years the Club has benefited many local charities as well as providing scholarships to deserving student/athletes. The Touchdown Timmies, the club's trophies, are given each year to athletes who excelled in their respective arenas including professionals, college and scholastic players. Additionally, the Club provided monies to 15 charitable organizations each year.
The 1991 season was the Washington Redskins' 60th in the National Football League (NFL), their 55th representing Washington, D.C., and the eleventh under head coach Joe Gibbs.
The 1977 Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 46th season overall, and would be the last under Hall of Fame head coach George Allen. The season began with the team trying to improve on their 10–4 record from 1976, but they would finish 9-5 and fail to qualify for postseason play.
Kirk Daniel Cousins is an American professional football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft. Cousins ranks sixth all-time in completion percentage with at least 1,500 pass attempts and is 11th in the NFL's all-time regular season career passer rating.
Williams remains significant in NFL history for being both the first black quarterback to play in and to win a Super Bowl.