Washington Commanders back to DC? If Owner Josh Harris had any say, it would happen.
In speaking with the media on Monday, Harris said, “Some of my earliest memories were of Washington football and walking into RFK,” he said. “[…] So, I’m incredibly motivated to bring it back…This is emotional for me. You know, it’s not just business. It’s about the city, the franchise, the fans, and doing what’s right to bring the team back to where it needs to be.”
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Washington Commanders Back To DC?: History, Politics, Current Moves
The former Washington Redskins played their first-ever game at what was then D.C. Stadium in 1961. It was against the New York Giants, witnessed by 36,767 fans. In 1969 facility was renamed RFK Stadium in honor of the late Robert F. Kennedy. In September 2020 the District of Columbia announced that the stadium would be demolished in 2022. Even at that point, there were still rumblings of a Washington return. However, with the politics of the name, the drama of the name change, and the aggressive, yet genius push by Loudon County to make Washington part of their tourism strategy.
The Commanders have a practice facility located in Ashburn on a 44-acre parcel in the southeast corner of Loudoun County Parkway and Gloucester Parkway. For County officials, since the Commanders are already practicing there, why not have them make a permanent home there? This thought led Loudoun County to be more vocal last Spring about the Commanders building a new stadium in the county.
Washington Commanders Back To DC? Can Harris Check All the Boxes?
In a perfect world, this makes good common sense. But there is politics. In the political correctness of DC, some things have always been a sticking point for any Commander’s return. First, there is the name change, one in which was caught in a series of unfortunate events. There is the curious case of Martin McCaulay, an actuary from Alexandria, who owns numerous trademark claims, many of which Washington fans would have loved to have been an option. And then there was the “Washington Football Team” era (July 2020). This was probably the most mocked era of the franchise. The WFT eventually changed the name to the Washington Commanders in February of 2022.
Next, there is the ownership. With Dan Snyder out of the way and Josh Harris at the helm, new faces can mean new ideas. That has already been seen with the decision to remove the failed attempt at a memorial for the late great Sean Taylor. This is a hat tip for Harris. Also, notice they will design a statue, but gave no exact date for when it would be unveiled. This is because, at the moment, it may be something more fitting for the DC area than Landover Maryland.
Finally, Harris publicly disavowed any idea of the Washington Commanders returning to the Washington Redskins name Sunday. Harris told media on Sunday “For obvious reasons, the old name can’t come back…But right now, we’re focused on things to unify the team around our football team and unify the city around our football team. The first objective is we gotta start winning football games, and we need everyone supporting the team and not things that will drive people apart.”
Strong words from a man working to position the team in a neutral space to make a move. He’s making a solid case for the Washington Commanders back to DC. To sweeten the deal, on Tuesday it was announced the Commanders renamed their stadium from FedEx to Northwest Federal Credit Union. The stadium will now be called Northwest Stadium. FedEx had been the name since 1999, but since the owner changed they exercised their right to end the relationship. Reports indicate the Northwest deal runs through the 2031 season.
The era of the name change argument, the stadium name in which it all went down, and the former owner now belong to the history books. If Harris is going to make his move for the Washington Commanders back to DC, the time is indeed now.
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