List of Washington Commanders seasons

The Washington Commanders are a professional American football franchise based in the Washington metropolitan area. They are members of the East division in the National Football Conference (NFC) of the National Football League (NFL). The Commanders were founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves, named after the local baseball franchise.[1] The franchise changed its name the following year to the Redskins and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1937.[1] In 2020, the team retired the Redskins name after longstanding controversies surrounding it and briefly played as the Washington Football Team before becoming the Commanders in 2022.[1]

An aerial photograph of RFK Stadium.
RFK Stadium was the home of the team from 1961 to 1996.

Over their 92 seasons in the NFL, the Commanders have accumulated a record of 629 wins, 643 losses, and 29 ties, which is the thirteenth-worst all-time regular season record among active franchises in terms of win–loss percentage.[2] They have also made the playoffs twenty-five times and have the ninth-best playoff record in terms of win-loss percentage with 23 wins and 20 losses.[2] The franchise has won five NFC championships and 15 NFL divisional titles.[2]

The franchise has won three Super Bowl championships (Super Bowl XVII, Super Bowl XXII, and Super Bowl XXVI).[3] They also played in and lost Super Bowl VII and Super Bowl XVIII.[3] Before the AFL and NFL merged in 1970,[4] Washington won two NFL Championships (1937 and 1942). They also played in and lost the 1936, 1940, 1943, and 1945 Championship games. Only five teams have appeared in more Super Bowls than Washington: the New England Patriots (11), Dallas Cowboys (eight), Pittsburgh Steelers (eight), Denver Broncos (eight), and San Francisco 49ers (seven); Washington's five appearances are tied with the Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, and New York Giants.[5]

All of the franchise's championships were attained during two 10-year spans. The first period of success was from 1936 to 1945, when they went to the NFL Championship six times, winning two of them. The second period of success was from 1982 and 1991, when they appeared in the postseason seven times, captured four Conference titles, and won three Super Bowls. This period included the 1983 and 1991 seasons, when the team won 14 games, the most the team have won in a single season.[6]

Washington has also experienced periods of extended failure in its history. The most notable period of continued failure was from 1946 to 1970, when they posted only four winning seasons and did not have a single postseason appearance.[6] During this period, they went without a single winning season between 1956 to 1968 and posted their worst regular-season record in franchise history, going 1–12–1 in 1961.[6] Washington is currently experiencing its second period of failure, which began in 1993 and continued through the entire franchise ownership of Daniel Snyder. Since 1993, they have posted only eight winning seasons and six postseason appearances.[6]

Seasons

Key
NFL champions (1920–1969) §Super Bowl champions (1970–present) *Conference champions #Division championsWild card berth ^
Washington Commanders seasonal records
SeasonTeamLeagueConferenceDivisionRegular seasonPostseason resultsAwardsHead coachesOwnersRefs.
FinishWLT
Boston Braves
19321932NFL4th442Lud WrayGeorge Preston Marshall[7]
Boston Redskins
19331933NFLEast3rd552William Henry DietzGeorge Preston Marshall[8]
19341934NFLEast2nd660[9]
1935[a]1935NFLEast4th281Eddie Casey[11]
19361936NFLEast1st750Lost NFL Championship (Packers) 6–21Ray Flaherty[12]
Washington Redskins
1937[b]1937NFL§East1st830Won NFL Championship (1) (at Bears) 28–21Ray FlahertyGeorge Preston Marshall[13]
19381938NFLEast2nd632[14]
19391939NFLEast2nd821[15]
19401940NFLEast1st920Lost NFL Championship (Bears) 0–73[16]
19411941NFLEast3rd650[17]
19421942NFL§East1st1010Won NFL Championship (2) (Bears) 14–6[18]
1943[c]1943NFLEast1st631Won Divisional playoff (at Giants) 28–0
Lost NFL Championship (at Bears) 21–41
Dutch Bergman[19]
19441944NFLEast3rd631Dudley DeGroot[20]
19451945NFLEast1st820Lost NFL Championship (at Rams) 14–15[21]
1946[d]1946NFLEastT-3rd551Turk Edwards[22]
1947[e]1947NFLEast4th480[23]
19481948NFLEast2nd750[24]
19491949NFLEast4th471John Whelchel (3–3–1)
Herman Ball (1–4)
[25]
19501950NFLAmerican6th390Herman Ball[26]
19511951NFLAmerican3rd570Herman Ball (0–3)
Dick Todd (5–4)
[27]
19521952NFLAmericanT-5th480Curly Lambeau[28]
19531953NFLEastern3rd651[29]
19541954NFLEastern5th390Joe Kuharich[30]
19551955NFLEastern2nd840Joe Kuharich (COYTooltip National Football League Coach of the Year Award)[31][32][33]
19561956NFLEastern3rd660[34]
19571957NFLEastern4th561[35]
19581958NFLEastern4th471[36]
19591959NFLEastern5th390Mike Nixon[37]
19601960[f]NFLEastern6th192[38]
1961[g]1961[h]NFLEastern7th1121Bill McPeak[40]
19621962NFLEastern4th572[41]
19631963NFLEastern6th3110[42]
19641964NFLEasternT-3rd680Charley Taylor (ROY)[43][44][45]
19651965NFLEastern4th680Edward Bennett Williams[46]
19661966NFLEastern5th770Otto Graham[47]
1967[i]1967NFLEasternCapitol3rd563[48]
19681968NFLEasternCapitol3rd590[49]
19691969NFLEasternCapitol2nd752Vince Lombardi[50]
19701970NFLNFCEast[j]4th680Bill Austin[51]
19711971NFLNFCEast2nd^941Lost Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 20–24George Allen (COYTooltip National Football League Coach of the Year Award)[52][32]George Allen[53]
19721972NFLNFC#East1st1130Won Divisional Playoffs (Packers) 16–3
Won NFC Championship (Cowboys) 26–3
Lost Super Bowl VII (vs. Dolphins) 7–14
Larry Brown (MVPTooltip National Football League Most Valuable Player Award),[54] (OPOYTooltip National Football League Offensive Player of the Year Award)[55][56]
19731973NFLNFCEast2nd^[k]1040Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Vikings) 20–27[58]
19741974NFLNFCEast2nd^1040Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Rams) 10–19Jack Kent Cooke[59]
19751975NFLNFCEast3rd860Mike Thomas (OROYTooltip National Football League Offensive Rookie of the Year Award)[60][61]
19761976NFLNFCEast2nd^[l]1040Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Vikings) 20–35[63]
19771977NFLNFCEast2nd[m]950[64]
1978[n]1978NFLNFCEast3rd880John Riggins (CBPOYTooltip National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award)[65]Jack Pardee[66]
19791979NFLNFCEast3rd[o]1060Jack Pardee (COYTooltip National Football League Coach of the Year Award)[67][68]
19801980NFLNFCEast3rd6100[69]
19811981NFLNFCEast4th880Ken Houston (Byron "Whizzer" White Award)[70]Joe Gibbs[71]
1982[p]1982NFL*NFC#1st#810Won First Round Playoffs (Lions) 31–7
Won Second Round Playoffs (Vikings) 21–7
Won NFC Championship (Cowboys) 31–17
Won Super Bowl XVII (3) (vs. Dolphins) 27–17
Joe Gibbs (COYTooltip National Football League Coach of the Year Award)[32]
Mark Moseley (MVPTooltip National Football League Most Valuable Player Award)[54]
John Riggins (SBMVPTooltip Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award)[74]
Joe Theismann (WPMOYTooltip Walter Payton Man of the Year Award)[75]
Bobby Beathard (EOYTooltip Sporting News NFL Executive of the Year Award)[76]
[77]
19831983NFLNFC#East1st1420Won Divisional Playoffs (Rams) 51–7
Won NFC Championship (49ers) 24–21
Lost Super Bowl XVIII (vs. Raiders) 9–38
Joe Gibbs (COYTooltip National Football League Coach of the Year Award)[32]
Joe Theismann (MVPTooltip National Football League Most Valuable Player Award),[54] (OPOYTooltip National Football League Offensive Player of the Year Award)[55]
Bobby Beathard (EOYTooltip Sporting News NFL Executive of the Year Award)[76]
[78]
19841984NFLNFCEast1st1150Lost Divisional Playoffs (Bears) 19–23[79]
19851985NFLNFCEast3rd[q]1060[81]
19861986NFLNFCEast2nd^1240Won Wild Card Playoffs (Rams) 19–7
Won Divisional Playoffs (at Bears) 27–13
Lost NFC Championship (at Giants) 0–17
[82]
1987[r]1987NFL*NFC#East1st1140Won Divisional Playoffs (at Bears) 21–17
Won NFC Championship (Vikings) 17–10
Won Super Bowl XXII (4) (vs. Broncos) 42–10
Doug Williams (SBMVPTooltip Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award)[74][84]
19881988NFLNFCEast3rd790[85]
19891989NFLNFCEast3rd1060[86]
19901990NFLNFCEast3rd^1060Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Eagles) 20–6
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 10–28
[87]
19911991NFL*NFC#East1st1420Won Divisional Playoffs (Falcons) 24–7
Won NFC Championship (Lions) 41–10
Won Super Bowl XXVI (5) (vs. Bills) 37–24
Joe Gibbs (COYTooltip National Football League Coach of the Year Award)[32]
Mark Rypien (SBMVPTooltip Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award),[74] (OPOYTooltip National Football League Offensive Player of the Year Award)[88]
[89]
19921992NFLNFCEast3rd^[s]970Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Vikings) 24–7
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 13–20
[91]
19931993NFLNFCEast5th4120Richie Petitbon[92]
19941994NFLNFCEast5th3130Norv Turner[93]
19951995NFLNFCEast3rd6100[94]
19961996[t]NFLNFCEast3rd[u]970Darrell Green (WPMOYTooltip Walter Payton Man of the Year Award),[75] (Bart Starr Award)[97][98]
19971997[v]NFLNFCEast2nd871[99]
19981998NFLNFCEast4th6100[100]
19991999NFLNFCEast1st1060Won Wild Card Playoffs (Lions) 27–13
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Buccaneers) 13–14
Daniel Snyder[101]
20002000NFLNFCEast3rd880Norv Turner (7–6)
Terry Robiskie (1–2)
[102]
20012001NFLNFCEast2nd880Marty Schottenheimer[103]
20022002NFLNFCEast3rd790Steve Spurrier[104]
20032003NFLNFCEast3rd5110[105]
20042004NFLNFCEast4th6100Joe Gibbs[106]
20052005NFLNFCEast2nd^1060Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Buccaneers) 17–10
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Seahawks) 10–20
[107]
20062006NFLNFCEast4th5110[108]
20072007NFLNFCEast3rd^970Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Seahawks) 14–35[109]
20082008NFLNFCEast4th880Jim Zorn[110]
20092009NFLNFCEast4th4120[111]
20102010NFLNFCEast4th6100Mike Shanahan[112]
20112011NFLNFCEast4th5110London Fletcher (Bart Starr Award)[113][114]
20122012NFLNFCEast1st1060Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Seahawks) 14–24Robert Griffin III (OROYTooltip National Football League Offensive Rookie of the Year Award)[60][115]
20132013NFLNFCEast4th3130[116]
20142014NFLNFCEast4th4120Jay Gruden[117]
20152015NFLNFCEast1st970Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Packers) 18–35Kirk Cousins (Most Improved Player)[118][119]
20162016NFLNFCEast3rd871[120]
20172017NFLNFCEast3rd790[121]
20182018NFLNFCEast3rd790[122]
20192019NFLNFCEast4th3130Adrian Peterson (Art Rooney Award)[123]Jay Gruden (0–5)
Bill Callahan (3–8)
[124]
Washington Football Team
20202020NFLNFCEast1st790Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Buccaneers) 23–31Chase Young (DROYTooltip National Football League Defensive Rookie of the Year Award)[125]
Alex Smith (CBPOYTooltip National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award)[65]
Ron RiveraDaniel Snyder[126]
2021[w]2021NFLNFCEast3rd7100[127]
Washington Commanders
20222022NFLNFCEast4th881Ron RiveraDaniel Snyder[128]
20232023NFLNFCEast4th4130Josh Harris[129]
Totals62964329All-time regular season record (1932–2023)
2320All-time postseason record (1932–2023)
65266329All-time regular & postseason record (1932–2023)

See also

Footnotes

References

General
  • "NFL.com – History – Yearly Standings". NFL.com. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  • "Pro Football Hall of Fame – Washington Commanders". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  • "Washington Commanders Franchise Encyclopedia". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  • "Washington Commanders History". JT-SW.com. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
Specific