The Washington Commanders are one of the most storied teams in the NFL. After being started as the Boston Braves in 1932. Following a big move to Washington D.C., the team would change to the Washington Redskins in 1937.
The Redskins would play at RFK Stadium from 1961-96, and then move to FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland — where they remained until now. However, after another name change that led to the Washington Commanders moniker, the team might finally move back to their namesake.
In the early morning hours of Saturday, the RFK Stadium Bill was quietly passed by the senate. This bill will lead to the renovation of RFK Stadium, which can be come the new home of the Commanders following their lease ending in 2027.
BREAKING: D.C. will soon be an option for the next Washington Commanders stadum in a shocking early morning twist in the Senate.
The RFK Stadium bill passed by unanimous consent—meaning all 100 Senators were on board— hours after it was left out of the continuing resolution. pic.twitter.com/i86gd5nQ7m
— A.J. Perez (@byajperez) December 21, 2024
According to A.J. Perez, “BREAKING: D.C. will soon be an option for the next Washington Commanders stadum in a shocking early morning twist in the Senate. The RFK Stadium bill passed by unanimous consent—meaning all 100 Senators were on board— hours after it was left out of the continuing resolution.”
Earlier this week, it looked like it would breeze through as part of the CR to fund the gov’t through March. But then Elon Musk spread misinformation about the bill on Wednesday, tweeting a stadium “should not be funded by your tax dollars!”
The bill doesn’t include any funding. pic.twitter.com/wMgMWFZ0X2
— A.J. Perez (@byajperez) December 21, 2024
“Earlier this week, it looked like it would breeze through as part of the CR to fund the gov’t through March. But then Elon Musk spread misinformation about the bill on Wednesday, tweeting a stadium ‘should not be funded by your tax dollars!’ The bill doesn’t include any funding.
According to an additional report from News Nation, “The legislation — which lawmakers rolled out ahead of Friday’s shutdown deadline — includes a provision that transfers jurisdiction of the site of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus, the defunct venue in the Northeast part of the city, from the federal government to the city of D.C. for 99 years.”
Kirby Lee/Getty Images
Though the Commanders leaving Maryland would be a loss for the area, the bill also introduces funding to rebuild a bridge. “The government funding bill did, however, include a big victory for Maryland: full federal funding to repair Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge,” the report indicates.
Read more: Cleveland Mayor ‘Disappointed’ As Browns Annnounce Relocation to New City
The Commanders now join a few NFL teams that are currently or potentially set to move. The Browns will be moving to Brook Park, and the Chiefs are currently mulling over options about a potential move as well.
Read more: Chiefs Owner Considering Relocation of Team For New Stadium
The Commanders were rebranded in 2020 following the controversy over the then-Redskins name. With Washington remaining in the name, and the only unchanged thing about the storied franchise — a move back to the state makes a ton of sense.
Though the Commanders will not be leaving Maryland for a few years, they can now return to the team’s historical roots. This is especially exciting considering the team has turned around with Dan Quinn as head coach and Jayden Daniels as the team’s franchise quarterback.
For more on the Commanders, head to Newsweek Sports.
