Washington commander announces new stadium plans

Commander Washington returns to DC

For nearly 30 years, the team played home games at Landover, Maryland, at Northwest Field (formerly known as Fedex Field). On Monday, the commander announced plans to build a new stadium in the District of Columbia, narrated and posted to social media by former quarterback Joe Theismann.

According to the video, the team's plan is to build a stadium on the ruins of RFK Memorial Stadium, which competes from 1961 to 1996. The location is two miles east of the U.S. Capitol building.

"Let's bring the commander home," Theisman said in the video. "Let's bring Washington back to DC."

Harris and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser will share more details on the stadium plan at a press conference Monday morning.

The opportunity to build a new stadium on the RFK Stadium website became a reality earlier this year.

In early January, former President Joe Biden signed a bill to transfer land from the federal government to Washington, D.C. for the next 99 years. It was a measure that chief owner Josh Harris and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell lobbied before signing.

According to the Washington Post, the Commander's stadium plan still needs approval from the District of Columbia Council. According to multiple reports, New York City must pay a portion of the fee.

Several city council members, including Chairman Phil Mendelson, have expressed their objections to the use of taxpayer funds to build a new stadium.

"My position is that there shouldn't be public funds - Washington, D.C. shouldn't pay stadiums," he told the Post earlier this month.

The ownership group of the team led by Harris has long said that one of the biggest goals of acquiring the team is to create a new stadium by 2030. The commander has signed a contract with Maryland to compete at the stadium currently in Landover until 2027, and can continue playing there until the new stadium construction is completed.

Washington finished the 2024 season with a record of 12-5, the best result since 1991. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels helped lead the team to the NFC Championship before the Commander was eventually defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.