The 2024 season was the Washington Commanders' 93rd in the National Football League (NFL). It was the first season under the tandem of general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn, with other coaching staff additions including Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator and Joe Whitt Jr. as defensive coordinator. The team improved their record from 2023 to , marking their first winning regular season since 2016 and best record since 1991. The season also featured their first playoff win since 2005 and first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1991, both snapping the longest active droughts in the conference, before losing to the division rival and eventual Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles. It was only their 7th playoff appearance in 32 seasons.
The season was the Commanders eighth straight having a different quarterback start opening week, with previous starter Sam Howell traded during the offseason. The team selected quarterback Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. He set the NFL record for most rushing yards in a season by a rookie quarterback en route to earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The season also featured the Hail Maryland, a game-winning Hail Mary play against the Chicago Bears from Daniels to wide receiver Noah Brown. The team's offense ranked among the franchise's best, tying for the second-most total points in a season with 485. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin set the franchise record for touchdown catches in a season with 13. McLaurin, linebackers Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner, and kick returner Austin Ekeler were second-team All-Pro selections.
Overview
Head coach Ron Rivera was fired following a record in the 2023 season, with team owner Josh Harris employing Bob Myers and Rick Spielman as advisors in search of the next general manager and head coach. San Francisco 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters was first hired as general manager in January, who hired Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator and former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn for the same role the following month. The front office saw several changes under Peters, including hiring Detroit Lions executives Lance Newmark and Brandon Sosna respectively as assistant general manager and senior vice president of football operations, Baltimore Ravens scout David Blackburn as director of player personnel, longtime NFL executive Dave Gardi as senior vice president of football initiatives, and former Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer as a personnel executive. Other changes included the departure of president Jason Wright and personnel executives Eric Stokes and Chris Polian, with ex-general manager Martin Mayhew reassigned to senior personnel executive and ex-vice president of football and player personnel Marty Hurney becoming an advisor.
Coaching changes included former Texas Tech Red Raiders and Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, Cowboys secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. as defensive coordinator, and former Seattle Seahawks special teams coordinator Larry Izzo in the same role. Offensive additions included assistant head coach and pass game coordinator Brian Johnson, run game coordinator Anthony Lynn, assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough, tight ends coach David Raih, offensive line coaches Bobby Johnson and Darnell Stapleton, with quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard and wide receivers coach Bobby Engram being the only holdovers. Defensive additions included pass game coordinator Jason Simmons, defensive line coaches Darryl Tapp and Sharrif Floyd, linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr., defensive back coaches Tommy Donatell and William Gay, and senior assistant John Pagano, with assistant linebackers and pass rush specialist coach Ryan Kerrigan being the only holdover.
The team's roster also saw major turnover, with the Commanders having the lowest amount of returning players from 2023 after signing a league-high 26 free agents. The team traded previous season's starting quarterback Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks and 2022 first-round wide receiver Jahan Dotson to the Philadelphia Eagles for mid-round draft picks. Notable acquisitions included quarterback Marcus Mariota, running backs Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols, tight end Zach Ertz, wide receivers Olamide Zaccheaus and Noah Brown, guard Nick Allegretti, center Tyler Biadasz, linebackers Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu, defensive ends Dorance Armstrong, Clelin Ferrell, and Dante Fowler, cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, safety Jeremy Chinn, special teamer Nick Bellore, long snapper Tyler Ott, and kicker Austin Seibert. The Commanders selected quarterback Jayden Daniels in the 2024 draft with the second overall pick, with later selections including defensive tackle Johnny Newton, cornerback Mike Sainristil, and offensive tackle Brandon Coleman. Notable undrafted free agents included quarterback Sam Hartman, tight end Colson Yankoff, and safety Tyler Owens. At the trade deadline in early November, the Commanders acquired cornerback Marshon Lattimore from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for third-, fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2025 NFL draft.
The Commanders finished the regular season with a record of , their highest win total since 1991 and the largest improvement by wins over two seasons in team history. The team's offense under Daniels ranked among the franchise best, tying for the second-most total points in a season (485) and ranking top three in rushing and total yards. The team was nicknamed the "Cardiac Commanders" for winning numerous games of close contention in their final seconds. Daniels would be named the Offensive Rookie of the Year, while McLaurin, linebackers Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner, and kick returner Austin Ekeler, were named second-team All-Pros.
Draft
+ Player selections and tradesRoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes 1 2 Jayden Daniels Quarterback LSU 2 36 Johnny Newton Defensive tackle Illinois 40 Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles From the Bears 50 Mike Sainristil Cornerback Michigan 53 Ben Sinnott Tight end Kansas State 3 67 Brandon Coleman Offensive tackle TCU 78 Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles From the Seahawks 100 Luke McCaffrey Wide receiver Rice Resolution JC-2A selection; from the 49ers 4 102 Traded to the Seattle Seahawks 5 139 Jordan Magee Linebacker Temple 152 Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles From Seahawks 161 Dominique Hampton Linebacker Washington 6 179 Traded to the Seattle Seahawks 7 222 Javontae Jean-Baptiste Defensive end Notre Dame
+ Undrafted free agentsPlayer Position College Chigozie Anusiem Cornerback Colorado State Sam Hartman Quarterback Notre Dame Austin Jones Running back USC Ben Nikkel Safety Iowa State David Nwaogwugwu Offensive tackle Toledo Tyler Owens Safety Texas Tech Norell Pollard Defensive tackle Virginia Tech Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint Wide receiver Georgia Michael Wiley Running back Arizona A. J. Woods Cornerback Pittsburgh Colson Yankoff Tight end UCLA
Staff
Final roster
Standings Division
Conference
Schedule Preseason WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap 1 at New York Jets L 17–20 0–1 MetLife Stadium Recap 2 at Miami Dolphins L 6–13 0–2 Hard Rock Stadium Recap 3 August 25 New England Patriots W 20–10 1–2 Commanders Field Recap
Regular season WeekDateResultRecordVenueRecap 1 September 8 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 20–37 0–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap 2 September 15 New York Giants W 21–18 1–1 Northwest Stadium Recap 3 at Cincinnati Bengals W 38–33 2–1 Paycor Stadium Recap 4 September 29 at Arizona Cardinals W 42–14 3–1 State Farm Stadium Recap 5 October 6 Cleveland Browns W 34–13 4–1 Northwest Stadium Recap 6 October 13 at Baltimore Ravens L 23–30 4–2 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 7 October 20 Carolina Panthers W 40–7 5–2 Northwest Stadium Recap 8 October 27 Chicago Bears W 18–15 6–2 Northwest Stadium Recap 9 November 3 at New York Giants W 27–22 7–2 MetLife Stadium Recap 10 November 10 Pittsburgh Steelers L 27–28 7–3 Northwest Stadium Recap 11 at Philadelphia Eagles L 18–26 7–4 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 12 November 24 Dallas Cowboys L 26–34 7–5 Northwest Stadium Recap 13 December 1 Tennessee Titans W 42–19 8–5 Northwest Stadium Recap 14 Bye 15 December 15 at New Orleans Saints W 20–19 9–5 Caesars Superdome Recap 16 December 22 Philadelphia Eagles W 36–33 10–5 Northwest Stadium Recap 17 December 29 Atlanta Falcons W 30–24 11–5 Northwest Stadium Recap 18 January 5 at Dallas Cowboys W 23–19 12–5 AT&T Stadium Recap
Postseason WeekDateOpponent (seed)ResultRecordVenueRecap Wild Card January 12 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3) W 23–20 1–0 Raymond James Stadium Recap Divisional at Detroit Lions (1) W 45–31 2–0 Ford Field Recap NFC Championship January 26 at Philadelphia Eagles (2) L 23–55 2–1 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
Game summaries Week 1: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin, defensive end Clelin Ferrell and safety Jeremy Reaves served as game captains. Rookie quarterback (QB) Jayden Daniels scored two goal line rushing touchdowns and gained 272 total yards, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for 80 yards with two touchdowns in his debut. The teams would meet again in the Wild Card playoff.
Week 2: vs. New York Giants
Center Tyler Biadasz, linebacker Frankie Luvu and safety Percy Butler served as game captains. Kicker Austin Seibert, who replaced Cade York earlier in the week, was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after accounting for all of the team's points with a franchise-record seven field goals. The game marked Washington's first win without scoring a touchdown since 2009 as the team snapped a four-game winless streak against the Giants. The Commanders also became the first team since the 1989 Minnesota Vikings to win a game despite allowing three touchdowns and scoring none, and the first to do so in regulation.
Week 3: at Cincinnati Bengals
On Monday Night Football, wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, linebacker Bobby Wagner and punter Tress Way served as game captains. Quarterback Jayden Daniels set an NFL rookie and Commanders team record with a 91.3% completion percentage on 23 attempts along with 293 total yards and three touchdowns, including his first one passing. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance, being the first Commanders player to earn it since Adrian Peterson in 2018. It was the Commanders' second consecutive game scoring on every drive, the first NFL team to do so since 2000, and the first game without any turnovers or punts by either team since 1940. Trent Scott also became the team's first offensive lineman to catch a touchdown pass since Joe Jacoby in 1984.
Week 4: at Arizona Cardinals
Running back Jeremy McNichols, guard Nick Allegretti and safety Quan Martin served as game captains. 42 points were the most the Commanders had scored in a game since 2016 and was the first time scoring 38 or more in consecutive games since 1991. QB Jayden Daniels set a record for having the highest completion percentage (82.1) over a four game span in NFL history and became the first to complete at least 85 percent of his passes in consecutive games. Daniels was also named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for September, being the first player for the team to win it since Robert Griffin III in 2012. With 15 tackles, linebacker Bobby Wagner moved into fourth place on the career tackles list.
Week 5: vs. Cleveland Browns