Tag: fedex field

Josh Harris didn’t buy the Commanders to go 8-8, or 8-8-1

Harris wants to build a sustained winner.

New Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris spoke Thursday at the Sports Business Journal’s Dealmakers conference in Washington, D.C., and discussed several topics concerning his franchise.

Harris talked about the disappointing results of this season, the future, a potential new stadium, improvements to FedEx Field and even briefly discussed the name, all courtesy of Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.

While Harris spoke on several interesting topics concerning the franchise, one quote really stood out.

Why does that quote stand out?

Washington finished 8-8-1 last season. The Commanders finished 7-9 and 7-10 in the two seasons before that. For years, Washington fans have wanted the franchise to either be really bad — to pick high enough to land difference-making players — or, preferably, be really good.

Some may think Harris is taking a shot at current head coach Ron Rivera. He’s not. That’s not his style. That’s something former owner Dan Snyder would’ve done, only he wouldn’t have spoken to the media, choosing instead to leak it.

Harris was speaking in general terms. Specifically, he was speaking to the fans. For one, he is a fan, so he understands the struggles of Washington’s fans throughout the years. His message is simple: We are going to do everything possible to build a winner.

Rivera didn’t come to Washington for mediocrity. That was the Snyder way. Keep the team competitive enough to keep people interested. But he wasn’t capable of building a winner. And he certainly wasn’t going to invest in building a winner.

Harris is. He’s proven it in business, in the NBA and in the NHL.

News, notes and nuggets heading into Dolphins vs. Commanders

Some tidbits for Sunday’s action.

The Miami Dolphins are heading to the nation’s capital this weekend to play the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

This will be Miami’s first trip to FedEx Field since 2015, as a victory on Sunday will move their record to 9-3 this season, something the Dolphins haven’t accomplished since 2001.

Miami leads the all-time series 8-5 in the regular season and each franchise beat the other in the Super Bowl.

Here are some more news and notes heading into the matchup with the Commanders:

No hot water at FedEx Field meant Giants and Commanders players were unable to shower after game

Another tough day for FedEx Field.

As if things couldn’t get any worse for the Washington Commanders, FedEx Field had no hot water after Sunday’s game against the New York Giants, meaning players from both teams were unable to shower.

The Giants defeated the Commanders 31-19 after Washington turned the ball over six times, sweeping the season series.

From Washington’s statement:

“We had an equipment failure in the main water heater that provides hot water to the field-level locker rooms,” the statement read. “We can’t resolve the matter without completely shutting off the water to the stadium, which is why it couldn’t be repaired in game.”

This is the latest debacle for FedEx Field, for which there are far too many to name over the years. New owner Josh Harris said when taking control of the team in July that making improvements to FedEx Field was one of his priorities. Harris and his partners have spent millions in upgrading the 26-year-old facility since August.

While it may be fun for some to blame a hot water issue on ownership, this can happen anywhere.

Report: Commanders owner Josh Harris concerned with ticket sales after loss to Bears

Ownership will “allow things to play out” regarding any major changes during the season.

The Washington Commanders fell to 2-3 on the season after Thursday’s embarrassing 40-20 loss to the previously winless Chicago Bears in front of a national audience.

Washington, which began the season 2-0, has lost its last two home games by a combined 54 points. The Commanders lost to the Buffalo Bills 37-3 in Week 3. Those two home losses leave the Commanders 1-2 this season at FedEx Field.

The good news for Washington is FedEx Field has been sold out for all three home games. That’s a far cry from recent seasons when the Commanders had trouble filling their home stadium.

But with the team in the middle of a three-game slide, including two straight blowout losses at home, could that sellout streak be in jeopardy?

According to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, Washington managing partner Josh Harris is concerned with “the impact an emotional national loss may have on ticket sales.”

Harris, who also owns the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, is choosing to be more patient regarding the current coaching staff.

Let’s first talk about the current coaching staff. Harris and his partners didn’t take over until July 20. He wasn’t coming in and making sweeping changes because there was no time for that. Additionally, taking over in July allows Harris and his partners to take inventory of everything, from the front office to the coaches to the players.

Last week’s loss was ugly. Fans are fed up — and rightfully so. The problem with firing anyone now is that it doesn’t guarantee the Commanders will be any better. Head coach Ron Rivera has had hot streaks in each of his previous three seasons in Washington, and perhaps Harris is waiting for another of those.

Next, let’s touch on the ticket sales. Harris is the owner; of course, he’s concerned about ticket sales. The problem here is the fans would prefer ownership be more concerned with the on-field product than ticket sales.

Something else Anderson said was interesting regarding potential coaching changes:

“Now, while I’m told some of the other limited partners have their own thoughts–and you can read between the lines there– we’ll see how things settle as the season evolves,” she wrote.

I wonder if one of those limited partners is Magic Johnson. We know Johnson wasn’t happy with what happened on Thursday night.

 

Commanders coach Ron Rivera: Bills game ‘pretty big’

Rivera understands how big Sunday’s game is for his Commanders.

Ron Rivera wasn’t messing around Wednesday about his next opponent.

He wasn’t pulling a Lou Holtz coach’s speak, either. For those of you old enough, Holtz, when he was coaching Notre Dame, and they were one of the top programs in the country, would greatly exaggerate his opponent at every opportunity.

Notre Dame could be a 35-point favorite, but Holtz would declare, “Navy is the most disciplined team we will play this season. They are a quality opponent; they are a well-coached football team. They are a football team who could beat anyone in America.” It was comical until it got old.

Rivera was asked what he thought about the Bills game this Sunday. “Pretty big,” he responded. “They’re one of the elite teams in the AFC.”

“This is one of the elite teams coming in. We’ve got to gear up, we’ve got to practice, prepare, get ourselves ready to go, and give ourselves an opportunity to see where we stand.”

This was not Lou Holtz’s coachspeak because Holtz was not believable. Rivera was being objective. He was being honest. The Bills didn’t turn it over last week, so they destroyed the Raiders 38-10. Rivera was believable because anyone who follows the NFL to some degree realizes the Bills really are one of the elite teams.

When told it was an announced sellout for this week’s Bills game, Rivera didn’t shy away from the moment. “I think that’s great, I really do. I think it’s going to be very exciting for our players. This is going to be a good crowd. It will probably have a few more Buffalo fans because they do travel very well. Hopefully, we will have a lot more Commanders fans out there and drown them out. I’m looking forward to the environment.”

Rivera mentioned that while he was playing for the Bears (1984-92), this is the crowd environment he remembered during the Joe Gibbs years (1981-92).

Rivera added as the Commanders win more, he sincerely believes more of the fan base will return. Sunday would be a great time to continue winning.

Big news for the Commanders’ stadium hopes in D.C.

A good start for the Commanders in their quest to build a new stadium in Washington, D.C, but they still have a long way to go.

Finally, there is some positive news regarding the Washington Commanders concerning the United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

On Wednesday, the Committee approved a bill that would extend the lease of RFK Stadium with the federal government to 99 years. The federal government owns the RFK site, and the current lease ends in 2036.

The Committee, with bipartisan support, voted 31-9 to move the bill forward, where the next step will be a future vote on the House floor later this year. So, while this is a big step forward, there remains a long way to go.

Washington D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser was present and has been a major proponent of bringing the Commanders back to the District, where the team played its home games until FedEx Field opened in 1997. Since Daniel Snyder sold the team, Bowser has been outspoken about creating a mixed-use development in Washington that would create jobs and housing with the Commanders stadium as an anchor.

Bowser faces opposition, who believe taxpayer dollars should not be used to build a professional sports stadium.

Bowser released a statement after the hearing.

Not only does Washington want the Commanders, but so do Virginia and Maryland — where FedEx Field is located. Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin each attended training camp this summer in Ashburn, discussing why the Commanders should build their new stadium in their respective states.

Commanders announce another sellout ahead of Week 3 game vs. Bills

Sunday is a big game for the Commanders.

For the second time this season, FedEx Field will be sold out. The Washington Commanders announced Tuesday that their Week 3 game against the Buffalo Bills is officially sold out. The Commanders sold out their Week 1 opener against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Week 1 game featured one of the best home crowds since 2012, full of Washington fans rooting for the home team. Looking ahead to Sunday, will FedEx Field be full of Commanders’ fans or Bills’ faithful?

Buffalo’s fan base travels well, so there will be Bills’ fans in attendance for Sunday’s game. But don’t expect it to be like in previous years. The excitement around the Commanders under new ownership is real. And Washington also happens to be 2-0 and facing a legit Super Bowl contender this week.

One of Washington’s minority partners — and longtime fan — Mark Ein, took to Twitter to thank fans.

The Bills are a touchdown favorite over the Commanders. Can the fans make a difference for the home team? We shall see.

Terry McLaurin said Week 1 was the loudest crowd at FedEx Field during his time with Commanders

McLaurin was all smiles talking about the home fans.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin didn’t have a huge day on the stat sheet in the season-opening win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. McLaurin caught two passes for 31 and only had four targets.

McLaurin, of course, isn’t like most star receivers. He’s the ultimate team guy; he’d rather win than post big statistics. But while McLaurin didn’t have a big statistical day, he did notice the sold-out crowd at FedEx Field.

“Man, it was amazing coming out there,” McLaurin said. “I got chills standing for the national anthem. The saxophone player, I didn’t get to say what’s up to him, but that dude can play, man. The way he played it through, the planes coming over, which is a really cool moment to hear the roar of the crowd. I’ve been here five years, and that was the loudest I’ve probably heard it. It’s good to get a win to hopefully keep that momentum going so the next time we’re at home, we can have a similar outcome.”

The Commanders are on the road next week but return to FedEx Field to host one of the NFL’s top teams, the Buffalo Bills, in Week 3.

Will it be another sold-out crowd for the home team? Buffalo, unlike Arizona, is more regional, and its fans travel well. So that game will be a good test.

Commanders limited partner Mitchell Rales flying Sonny Jurgensen in for Sunday’s opener

Rales sent his private plane to pick up Sonny, Billy Kilmer, Jim Hart so they can attend the season opener.

Sunday is the beginning of a new era for the Washington Commanders. It’s the first game under the new ownership group, led by managing partner Josh Harris. The Commanders host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday from FedEx Field and several of the team’s legends will be in attendance.

You can add three more to that list, thanks to one of Harris’ limited partners Mitchell Rales.

Per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post, Rales sent his private plane to Florida to pick up Sonny Jurgensen, Billy Kilmer, Jim Hart and their wives ahead of Sunday’s game. With Jurgensen’s current health, flying commercial was not an option, so Rales wanted to ensure one of the most iconic players in franchise history would be present Sunday.

Rales, Harris and Mark Ein all grew up Washington fans, admiring Jurgensen and Billy Kilmer. The team has already announced that John Riggins, Robert Griffin III and Champ Bailey are coming back. When Harris first took over in July, Hall of Fame cornerback Darrell Green was at Commanders Park, expressing optimism for the future.

Jurgensen, 89, spent 11 of his 18 seasons with Washington. After his playing career ended, Jurgensen joined the team’s broadcast booth, forming a legendary trio with fellow Hall of Famer Sam Huff and Frank Herzog. Jurgensen finally had his No. 9 jersey officially retired last season.

Kilmer, 84, spent the final eight seasons of his 18-year NFL career with Washington. He is a member of Washington’s Ring of Fame and one of the 80 greatest players in franchise history.

Hart played 19 seasons in the NFL. He spent his final season [1984] in Washington after playing for the Cardinals for the first 18 seasons. The Cardinals were in St. Louis when Hart played.

Kudos to Rales for this amazing gesture, ensuring Jurgensen and Kilmer, who’ve given so much to the franchise, will be “home” for Sunday’s game.

3 keys to a Commanders victory vs. Cardinals in Week 1

We identify three keys to a Commanders win in Week 1.

A new era of Washington football kicks off Sunday as the Commanders host the Arizona Cardinals from FedEx Field. It’s the first game for Washington’s new ownership group, led by managing partner Josh Harris, and the excitement surrounding the franchise is at a fever pitch.

The Commanders will play in front of a sellout crowd and are welcoming back multiple franchise legends, including some who were estranged from the team due to former ownership.

While the Commanders opened as big favorites for this game — they are the second-largest favorite for Week 1 — they aren’t taking the Cardinals lightly. Washington has a lot to prove in 2023.

What do the Commanders need to do to ensure they come out victorious in Week 1?

We’ve identified three keys to a Washington victory.