Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris and one of his limited partners, Mark Ein, spoke publicly on Thursday at the Sports Business Journal’s Dealmakers conference Thursday in Washington, D.C.
It was the first time Harris had spoken publicly since some of Washington’s massive changes over the past month. Over the past month, the Commanders traded starting defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat for a pair of second-day draft choices in the 2024 NFL draft, and last week, fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and secondary coach Brent Vieselmeyer.
Harris acknowledged the disappointing start to the 2023 season, in which Washington sits at 4-8 and last place in the NFC East.
“Clearly, all of us are disappointed by the performance on the field,” Harris said via Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. However, Harris remains optimistic about what’s ahead.
“All of us. So we’re focusing on that, and we want to finish the season strong. You got to win, and everyone wants to win. And sometimes it takes a while.”
Washington fans have been waiting long enough. However, for once, there is real change where the fans can see hope in the future. There will be a new regime in the offseason. It finally appears the Commanders will be managed like a real NFL organization, beginning with hiring a general manager, who will, in turn, hire the head coach.
Harris didn’t discuss the coaching staff but did talk about the future beyond this season.
“I have a public track record with Philly (76ers) and New Jersey (Devils), and generally, when you change a system, sometimes you have to do it,” Harris said. “But you probably take a step back before you take a step forward. That’s not always the case, but I think generally, that’s what the statistics would show. So I think it’s important to be patient.”
Fans have been upset this season that Harris hasn’t already fired Rivera. However, everyone knows changes are coming. Changes were coming regardless of what happened this season, short of a Super Bowl run.
Patience is warranted in this case. The NFL is built for teams to turn around quickly. One thing that helps teams turn around is the quarterback. Sam Howell has given Washington some exciting moments this season and there’s hope he could be the guy moving forward. Howell’s future, though, will likely be determined by the next regime.
Still, there’s hope. Fans had given up on Daniel Snyder many, many years ago. Harris and his group remain in a honeymoon period. His success, along with his group’s success, not only in sports but also in business, shows they are committed to making Washington a winner again.
Another topic for Harris on Thursday was the team’s name. While ownership ruled out a return to the former name, Harris understands it’s still an important topic for the team’s fans. And if it’s important to the fans, he will listen.
“We’re focused on winning football games for the rest of the season, fixing the stadium, and engaging with the city,” Harris said. “I know (the name) is a topic that people in Washington want to talk about. But right now, we’re focused on the things that we think are really important right now.”
Harris has maintained the same stance since purchasing the team in July. Now, with the season nearing its close, there will be more talk about another possible name change. Harris and his partners will consider another rebranding. But first, it will be about getting the right football people in place for 2024 and beyond.