The Washington Commanders enjoyed a renaissance 2024 NFL season, largely because of their rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels. Daniels completed 69 percent of his passes, throwing 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also led the Commanders in rushing with 891 yards, and was second in rushing touchdowns with six. Daniels’ propensity to throw the deep pass well and his uncanny running ability propelled the Commanders to a surprising 12-5 record in 2024. Daniels’ unparalleled rookie season created some consideration for Most Valuable Player honors. This feat hasn’t been accomplished as a rookie since the late Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown accomplished the feat for the Cleveland Browns in 1957. Instead, Daniels was named 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year. This was a more attainable honor for the rookie quarterback.
Washington then embarked on an improbable playoff run, which saw them record upset road victories over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the National Football Conference top-seeded Detroit Lions. The Commanders’ playoff run ended in Philadelphia, where the Philadelphia Eagles defeated Washington 55-23 in the conference title game. Despite the loss, the Commanders’ 2024 season proved they’re more than an up-and-coming team: they’re a bona fide Super Bowl contender.
The NFL is giving Washington the chance to prove that assertion in 2025. The league released its upcoming schedule for the 2025 season on May 14. It’s a day that many NFL fans circle on their calendar to find out who, where, and when their favorite team is playing. The Commanders will play the NFC North (which sent the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings to the playoffs in 2024) and the AFC West in 2025. This is due to the rotating nature of the NFL schedule, where teams from opposing divisions will play each other every four years, as there are four divisions. Washington will also play a second-place schedule in 2025, considering they finished second in the NFC East to the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles. That means they’ll play the NFC South’s Atlanta Falcons and the NFC West’s Seattle Seahawks.
The NFL has taken notice of the Commanders’ successful 2024 season. Washington will play five prime time games in 2025, with home games against the Bears, Seahawks, and the Denver Broncos. The remaining two games are against the Packers and the AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Not factored into the Commanders’ aforementioned prime time games is a November 16th game against the Miami Dolphins that will be played in Madrid, Spain, at 9:30 am Eastern time. Simply put, these are six standalone games that most NFL fans will get to see the Commanders in action. It’s a far cry from previous years when Washington would play many of their games at 1 pm, amongst other games within that time slot.
Whether or not the Commanders can expand on last year’s success remains to be seen. In any event, the Washington Commanders have finally gained relevance and become must-see television.