Dressed for success
The 2026 Commanders will look like winners. Can they play like D.C.'s champions of old?
Courtesy Washington Commanders
Nostalgia is a powerful (and lucrative) sensation. So it wasn’t surprising to see the Washington Commanders unveil uniforms for the 2026 season that bear a striking resemblance to those worn by the franchise’s three Super Bowl champions in an era that only fans of a certain age can remember.
Expect the new/old threads to create a windfall at the team’s merchandise outlets — if not necessarily on the field — this fall. Seeing Terry McLaurin in the same colors and styles that Art Monk wore, or Jayden Daniels dressed like Joe Theismann, is sure to be a financial boon.
New owner Josh Harris is clearly trying to resurrect the glory years of the franchise he grew up supporting, from building a new stadium at the old RFK site to Wednesday’s retro fashion drop. (It remains to be seen if he’ll have any more success than Dan Snyder did in winning a fourth Lombardi Trophy, but he can’t possibly do any worse.)
And the throwback duds do have a familiar, stylish look that harkens back to the days when Joe Gibbs roamed the sideline and RFK’s seats literally bounced with the enthusiasm of a loyal, joyous fan base.
The alternate black uniform even features a helmet with a gold spear through the “W” logo — an homage to the headwear Sonny Jurgensen and his teammates wore in the 1960s. (What a spear has to do with a Commander is anyone’s guess.)
To its credit, Harris’ ownership group avoided reinstating the team’s old, offensive nickname. The retro uniforms should satisfy those vocal fans who never wanted to see that moniker go away.
But what would really make everyone happy is on-field success. Aside from a surprising run to the NFC title game after the 2024 season, that has been as elusive as bipartisan agreement in Congress since the team’s last Super Bowl win in January 1992.
There’s another way Washington might get back to elite status. The NFL draft is just over a week away, and there’s growing speculation that the Commanders might target former Notre Dame running back Jeremyah Love with the seventh overall pick.
Even after free agency, Dan Quinn’s team has a lot of holes to fill after a disappointing 5-12 season — especially on a defense that finished dead last in the NFL in yards allowed (384 per game).
Top pass rushers like Arvell Reese (Ohio State) and David Bailey (Texas Tech) likely won’t last past the first six picks, and star safety Caleb Downs of Ohio State may be gone, too. But this looks like a draft that will be defense-heavy in the first round, with Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, Miami pass rusher Reuben Bain Jr. (despite potential legal troubles) and LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane (a former Hokie) all expected to draw early interest.
And Love might not even be available at No. 7 if the Tennessee Titans (at No. 4) or Cleveland Browns (at No. 6) are intrigued.
Still, if available, Love deserves consideration — even in a league that seems to rely more on quarterbacks with each passing year. (Pun intended.)
Several draft analysts rate Love as the draft’s best prospect, regardless of position. And since they play in the same division as Saquon Barkley, Quinn’s Commanders have seen just how big an impact an elite back can have.
All three of Gibbs’ championship teams featured strong running games. The names changed (John Riggins, Earnest Byner and surprise Super Bowl XXVI hero Timmy Smith), but the Hogs in front of them paved the way.
With a new offensive coordinator in David Blough, a redux of that ground-first strategy could reduce the hits the oft-injured Daniels takes and keep him on the field. That’s good for everyone, as Daniels showed in a spectacular rookie season that covered up for his teammates’ defensive shortcomings.
The old saying goes to dress for the job you want. And maybe 1980s-era uniforms will inspire the 2026 Commanders to play like the men who first wore them.
They’ll certainly look the part. But actions speak louder than clothes.