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Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann, who spent his entire career with the then-Washington Redskins, is excited for the Commanders this season despite a disappointing season last year.
Last season, the Commanders went 5-12 after winning the NFC championship in 2024. Theismann, 76, said the team ran out of gas last season due to injuries.
“There were a lot of injuries in key spots last year. The defense, I think, was very sensitive in certain areas,” Theismann told PK Press Club Digital in a recent interview. “With Bobby (Wagner) getting older now, obviously we’ve kind of run 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. No matter how young you think you are, your body is going to tell you you’re not that young.”
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Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders looks on from the sidelines after leaving the game in the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on December 7, 2025. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)
The Commanders’ defense struggled last season, allowing 26.5 points per game, which ranked 27th in the NFL. The team addressed its porous defense in the NFL Draft, selecting Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick.
“Our number one pick will be something special in the future,” Theismann said. “I think we added some really good pieces on defense.”
Commanders have invested heavily in their defense. Former Los Angeles Chargers passer 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 top free agent additions.
Star wide receiver Terry McLaurin missed the majority of the Commanders’ offseason program due to an unfulfilled contract, and Theismann stressed 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 December 31, 2025. (Jérôme Miron/Imagn Images)
The Commanders made an offensive coordinator change after mutually agreeing to part ways with Kliff Kingsbury. The commanders promoted David Blough to replace Kingsbury, and Theismann noted that the offensive would be called differently.
“I think David Blough will call games a little differently than Kliff. A little more play action, a little more under center. And that’s what Jayden (Daniels) had a chance to work on while he wasn’t playing games at the end of the season. So he’s a little bit ahead of the game on that as well,” 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 have improved, the rest of the NFC East has improved as well.
“The division itself has improved. The Giants have improved. I think the coaching change makes a difference. Jaxson Dart is going into another year. Defensively, they really haven’t played to the talent that they had,” Theismann said. “The Cowboys added some defensive talent. They needed help. The Eagles are the Eagles; they’re not going away. I mean, everyone’s trying to get after Jalen (Hurts) and all he does is show up, get the job done 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, Maryland on February 2, 2022. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Theismann played in the NFL for 12 seasons, spending 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 defeated the Miami Dolphins 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII. During 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 July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe. The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
