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Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann, who spent his entire career with the then-Washington Redskins, is excited about the Commanders this season despite an underwhelming season last year.
Last season, the Commanders went 5-12 after making the NFC Championship Game in 2024. Theismann, 76, said the team ran out of gas last season as they dealt with injuries.
“It was a lot of damage in key places last year. The defense, I think, was very susceptible in certain areas,” Theismann told Pakinomist Digital in a recent interview. “Obviously, with Bobby (Wagner) getting older now, we just kind of ran out of gas. 17 games is a lot of football games, right? I mean, that’s a lot of wear and tear on your body. I don’t care how young you think you are, your body will tell you that you’re not that young.”
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Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders watches from the sidelines after leaving the game during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Dec. 7, 2025. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)
The Commanders defense struggled last season, giving up 26.5 points per game, which ranked 27th in the NFL. The team addressed their porous defense in the NFL Draft, drafting Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick.
“Our number one pick is going to be something special going forward,” Theismann said. “I think we added some really good pieces on defense.”
The commanders invested heavily in their defenses. Former Los Angeles Chargers pass rusher Odafe Oweh (four years, $100 million), former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal (three years, $24.75 million), and former Houston Texans defensive tackle Tim Settle (three years, $24 million) were among their key free agent additions.
Star wide receiver Terry McLaurin missed most of the Commanders’ offseason program due to a contract holdout, and Theismann indicated he will be an active participant in this year’s program.
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Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl quarterfinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Dec. 31, 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
The Commanders made a change at offensive coordinator after mutually agreeing to part ways with Kliff Kingsbury. The Commanders promoted David Blough to replace Kingsbury, and Theismann noted how the offense will be called differently.
“I think David Blough is going to call the games a little bit differently than Kliff did. A little more play action, a little more under center. And that’s what Jayden (Daniels) had a chance to work on while sitting out the games at the end of the season. So he’s a little bit ahead of the curve when it comes to that, too,” Theismann said.
Daniels was limited to just seven games due to injury last season, giving him the opportunity to get a head start on a new system late in the season.
Theismann noted that while the Commanders got better, so did the rest of the NFC East.
“The division itself got better. The Giants got better. I think the coaching change makes a difference. Jaxson Dart is coming in for another year. Defensively, they really didn’t play for the talent they have,” Theismann said. “The Cowboys added defensive talent. They needed some help there. The Eagles are the Eagles; they don’t go away. I mean, everybody’s trying to beat Jalen (Hurts) and all he does is show up and do the job and win football games.”
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Former player Joe Theismann speaks during the announcement of the Washington Football Team’s name change to the Washington Commanders at FedExField in Landover, Md., on Feb. 2, 2022. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Theismann played in the NFL for 12 seasons and spent his entire career with the then Washington Redskins. He was named league MVP in 1983 and made the Pro Bowl twice.
He led the Redskins to the Super Bowl in 1982 when they beat the Miami Dolphins 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII. In his career, Theismann completed 56.7% of his passes for 25,206 yards with 160 touchdowns and 138 interceptions.
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Theismann will compete in the American Century Championship from 10-12. July at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe. The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
