Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann explains why Commanders are poised to bounce back from disappointing season

Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann, who spent his full vocation with the then-Washington Redskins, is excited for the Commanders this play contempt an underwhelming play past year.

Last season, the Commanders went 5-12 aft making the NFC Championship successful 2024. Theismann, 76, said the squad ran retired of state past play arsenic they dealt with injuries.

"It was a batch of injuries successful cardinal places past year. The defense, I think, was precise susceptible successful definite areas," Theismann told Fox News Digital successful a caller interview. "With Bobby (Wagner) getting older now, obviously, we conscionable benignant of ran retired of gas. 17 games is simply a batch of shot games, right? I mean, that that's a batch of deterioration and teardrop connected your body. I don't attraction however young you deliberation you are, your body's going to archer you you're not that young."

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Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders looks connected from the sidelines aft leaving the crippled during the 2nd fractional against the Minnesota Vikings astatine U.S. Bank Stadium successful Minneapolis, Minn., connected Dec. 7, 2025. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)

The Commanders defence struggled past season, giving up 26.5 points per game, which was 27th successful the NFL. The squad addressed their porous defence successful the NFL Draft, drafting Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 wide pick.

"Our fig 1 prime is going to beryllium thing peculiar going forward," Theismann said. "I deliberation we added immoderate truly large pieces connected defense."

The Commanders invested heavy successful their defense. Former Los Angeles Chargers walk rusher Odafe Oweh (four-year, $100 million), erstwhile Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal (three-year, $24.75 million), and erstwhile Houston Texans antiaircraft tackle Tim Settle (three-year, $24 million) were among their cardinal escaped cause additions.

Star wide receiver Terry McLaurin missed the bulk of the Commanders' offseason programme owed to a declaration holdout, and Theismann pointed retired helium volition beryllium an progressive subordinate successful this year’s program.

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Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles gets into presumption during the 2025 Cotton Bowl quarterfinal crippled astatine AT&T Stadium successful Arlington, Texas, connected Dec. 31, 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

The Commanders made a alteration astatine violative coordinator aft mutually agreeing to portion ways with Kliff Kingsbury. The Commanders promoted David Blough to regenerate Kingsbury, and Theismann noted however the discourtesy volition beryllium called differently.

"I deliberation David Blough volition telephone the games a small otherwise than Kliff did. A Little much play action, a small much nether center. And this is what Jayden (Daniels) had a accidental to enactment connected portion helium was not participating successful the games astatine the extremity of the season. So, he's a small spot up of the curve erstwhile it comes to that arsenic well," Theismann said.

Daniels was constricted to conscionable 7 games owed to wounded past season, giving him the accidental to get a caput commencement connected a caller strategy precocious successful the season.

Theismann did enactment that portion the Commanders got better, the remainder of the NFC East got amended arsenic well.

"The part itself has improved. The Giants got better. I deliberation the coaching alteration makes a difference. Jaxson Dart is coming into different year. Defensively, they truly didn't play to the endowment that they have," Theismann said. "The Cowboys added antiaircraft talent. They needed immoderate assistance there. The Eagles are the Eagles; they're not going away. I mean, everybody is trying to bust connected Jalen (Hurts) and each helium does is amusement up and bash the occupation and triumph shot games."

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Former subordinate Joe Theismann speaks during the announcement of the Washington Football Team's sanction alteration to the Washington Commanders astatine FedExField successful Landover, Md., connected Feb. 2, 2022. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Theismann played successful the NFL for 12 seasons, spending his full vocation with the then-Washington Redskins. He was named the league MVP successful 1983 and made the Pro Bowl twice.

He led the Redskins to the Super Bowl successful 1982, erstwhile they bushed the Miami Dolphins 27-17 successful 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 volition beryllium competing successful the American Century Championship from July 10-12 astatine Edgewood Golf Course successful Lake Tahoe. The tourney volition beryllium broadcast connected NBC and Peacock.

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