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By Tyler Stepanian

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! The dark days are over, and so is the reign of Dan the Destroyer. 

Josh and Marjorie Harris. Photo credit: flickr user Lady Philly via Wikimedia Commons.

Washington Commanders fans worldwide rejoiced when the news broke recently that Dan Snyder, the long-time troubled owner of the Commanders, agreed to sell the team to an ownership group headlined by billionaire private equity investor Josh Harris, who also owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, for a record price of $6.05 billion. Other members of the group include Mitchell Rales, a billionaire businessman and art philanthropist, and Magic Johnson, an NBA Hall of Famer who also has ownership stakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers and other professional sports teams. 

The sale of the team shatters the previous record of a sports team sale price, the 4.65 billion purchase of the Denver Broncos, set in August 2022 by the Walton family, and comes after months of speculation following a November report that Snyder hired Bank of America to “explore potential transactions” involving the team. Since then, fans of the team and around the league have been on the edge of their seats, waiting for the news to break of the team’s sale, so they could finally say goodbye and good riddance to the contentious owner. 

Before Snyder’s ownership, the then “Redskins” were the definition of success, winning multiple Super Bowl titles, producing Hall-of-Fame coaches and players, and being a contender almost every year throughout the 80’s and 90’s. However, during Snyder’s 24-year tenure as owner, the team has been a shell of its former glory, posting an embarrassing 164-220-2 record. Only five teams have been worse in this time period, and in the last five years Washington has had more name changes (2) than playoff appearances (1). So given the current trajectory of the team, the only direction the team can trend after an ownership change is up. 

According to John Keim of ESPN, Harris has explained in the past that “What we’ve done is buy good companies,” or “good franchises that have a reason to exist but for whatever reason may have some financial difficulties or need some new leadership.” Harris turned both the New Jersey Devils and the 76ers from dwindling franchises to contenders following his takeover as the owner, and many hope he can replicate this success with the Commanders. However, there are a few questions that he and his group must address in order to ensure long-term success of the franchise. 

The roster and coaching staff themselves have a few question marks. However, with the hiring of former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, coaching has already improved drastically, and the hope is now the offense will no longer be the weak point of the team. To do this, the Commanders will need to find a long-term answer under center, with their current quarterback starter being Sam Howell, a 2022 fifth-round pick who showed flashes in his lone start last year on the 19 pass attempts he threw.

Eric Bienemy, when he coached for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021. Photo credit: All-Pro Reels Photography.

There is no reason to count Howell out as the answer to this problem, but given the short glimpse we have of his play as a starter, there are too many unanswered questions about his ability at the pro level. Luckily for Howell, or for whoever ends up being the starting quarterback next season, the Commanders have quite the supporting cast of wide receivers and running backs who can alleviate some of the pressure on the QB. 

At wide receiver, we have Pro-Bowler Terry McLaurin, along with his former Ohio State teammate Curtis Samuel, and rookie standout Jahan Dotson. And in the backfield stands the two-headed monster of former Alabama running back Brian Robinson, Jr., and receiving threat Antonio Gibson, who worked very well together this past season.

There are uncertainties with the tight ends, where an aging Logan Thomas stands, and the offensive line, which may have been addressed in the off-season with the signings of Andrew Wylie and Nick Gates. 

On the defensive side of the ball, the D-line is stacked and a force to be reckoned with, and the safeties are locked down by young, gritty, players like Darrick Forrest and Kamren Curl, who both played well this season. Harris and Co. must address their linebacker core, which is extremely thin and inexperienced, and they must find a true lockdown corner who can play alongside Kendall Fuller. 

FedEx Field. Photo credit: All-Pro Reels via Wikimedia Commons. 

Outside of the roster, Harris and Co. will also be tasked with building a new stadium, as their current field, FedEx Field, is ranked dead last in the NFL by multiple sources, including USA Today. This ranking is no surprise, since the stadium is extremely hard to get to, unethically expensive, and quite literally falling apart, with pipes bursting and sewage falling on fans and railings giving way in the stadium. 

Although it may seem like the new ownership has an array of objectives to do whenever they take over the reins, Washington is much closer to being a contender. Just having the new ownership step into the building will create a buzz of excitement around the NFL and give fans hope of a return to the franchise’s glory days.

Featured image credit: All-Pro Reels via Wikimedia Commons.