The Washington Commanders are starting from scratch in some ways this season, as the controversial Daniel Snyder is out as owner and a new group is in.
That new group is led by billionaire investor Josh Harris and NBA legend Magic Johnson, and thus there is hope that the decades of ineptitude the franchise has gone through will soon be over.
The Commanders are currently 4-8, and a playoff appearance this season is just about out of the question, but they do have some pieces to build around, including young starting quarterback Sam Howell.
Harris, per Nicki Jhabvala, admitted that being anything more than a borderline playoff team will be “a long journey.”
Commanders owner Josh Harris: “It’s a long journey. … There’s no shortcuts to the top. There’s shortcuts to the middle. You want to be 8-8? I can get you there quickly — 8-8-1. You want to be great? There are no shortcuts.”
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) December 1, 2023
Last season, Washington went 8-8-1 and narrowly missed the playoffs, but that year, Howell only played in and started the final game of the schedule.
This year, Howell, who was a fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft, is leading everyone in completed passes and passing yards, although he was also the leader in interceptions thrown and sacks taken through Wednesday.
Snyder, the Commanders’ previous owner, was embroiled in several controversies, including allegations of a toxic workplace environment and sexual misconduct.
Rebuilding in the NFL can take many, many years, and Harris and Johnson seem committed to returning the Commanders to the type of success and respect they regularly enjoyed in the 1980s and early 1990s.
They have made the playoffs just six times in the last 30 years, which comes in stark contrast to the three Super Bowl championships they won during their glory years.
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