So, you’re looking for the washington redskins football schedule, but there’s a massive elephant in the room that we need to address first. If you’ve been living under a rock—or just haven't tuned into an NFL game since the world changed in 2020—the team doesn’t actually go by that name anymore. They are the Washington Commanders now. Yet, thousands of fans still type the old name into Google every single Sunday. Honestly, it makes sense. Decades of history don’t just vanish because of a rebrand, and for many, the "Burgundy and Gold" will always be associated with the old moniker, regardless of what the scoreboard at Northwest Stadium says.
If you’re trying to figure out who they’re playing, when the games start, or how they fared in the 2025-2026 season that just wrapped up, you’re in the right place. We’re going to break down the schedule, the wins, the heartbreaking losses, and what the future looks like for this franchise.
Looking Back: The 2025 Washington Redskins Football Schedule (Commanders Era)
The 2025 season was a wild ride, to say the least. Dan Quinn’s squad entered the year with plenty of hype, especially with Jayden Daniels entering his second year under center. Things started out promising. If you were tracking the washington redskins football schedule back in September, you saw a team that looked like it might actually contend. They opened the season with a solid 21-6 win over the New York Giants. Fans were buzzing. Daniels looked sharp.
But the NFL is a cruel mistress. After a Week 5 win against the Chargers that put them at 3-2, the wheels basically fell off. An eight-game losing streak followed. It wasn't just losing; it was how they lost. They became the first team since the 2002 Cardinals to lose four straight games by 21 points or more. It was brutal.
Here is how the back half of that 2025 schedule actually played out:
The losing streak stretched through November and into December. They dropped a heartbreaker in Madrid, Spain, losing to the Miami Dolphins 16-13 in overtime. Then came a blowout loss to the Vikings (31-0) that officially knocked them out of playoff contention. They did manage to sweep the Giants, winning 29-21 in Week 15, and they finished the year on a high note by beating the Eagles 24-17 in the season finale on January 4, 2026.
Final record: 5-12. Not exactly what the fans in D.C. were dreaming of.
Key Matchups and Scores from the 2025 Season
- Week 1: vs. NY Giants (W 21-6) – A dominant start that gave false hope.
- Week 7: at Dallas Cowboys (L 22-44) – The defense completely folded in Arlington.
- Week 11: at Miami Dolphins (L 13-16 OT) – A painful loss in the NFL’s first-ever game in Madrid.
- Week 17: vs. Dallas Cowboys (L 23-30) – A Christmas Day loss on Netflix that stung.
- Week 18: at Philadelphia Eagles (W 24-17) – A "spoiler" win to end the year.
Why People Still Search for the Washington Redskins Football Schedule
It's a phenomenon. Even though the "Redskins" name was retired in 2020 and the "Commanders" brand was launched in early 2022, the search volume for the old name remains incredibly high. Why? Well, for one, the "Commanders" name hasn't exactly been a home run with the fan base. A 2024 Washington Post poll showed that most local fans actually dislike the name.
There's also the muscle memory of forty years of fandom. If you’ve been calling them the Redskins since the Joe Gibbs era, "Commanders" feels a bit like a corporate placeholder. Plus, the ongoing stadium drama—where the team might eventually play in D.C. again—keeps the nostalgia for the RFK Stadium days alive. Some fans even hold out hope for a "re-rebrand," though owner Josh Harris has been pretty clear that the old name isn't coming back for "obvious reasons."
When you search for the washington redskins football schedule, you aren't just looking for dates and times. You're often looking for that connection to a legacy that includes three Super Bowl rings.
The Identity Crisis: From Redskins to WFT to Commanders
- 1937–2019: The Washington Redskins era (The peak years).
- 2020–2021: The Washington Football Team (The "placeholder" era).
- 2022–Present: The Washington Commanders (The current reality).
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2026 Schedule
Now that the 2025 season is in the books, everyone is looking toward the fall of 2026. If you're searching for the washington redskins football schedule for the upcoming 2026 season, you need to know that the exact dates and times won't be released by the NFL until May. However, because of the way NFL scheduling works, we already know exactly who they are playing.
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Since Washington finished third in the NFC East (ahead of only the 4-13 Giants), their 2026 schedule is actually somewhat favorable. They’ll be playing the third-place finishers from other divisions.
2026 Home Opponents:
- Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants (The usual suspects).
- Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.
- Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans.
- Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals.
2026 Away Opponents:
- Dallas, Philly, and NY Giants.
- Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers.
- Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars.
- Minnesota Vikings.
That’s a tough draw. Having to go to San Francisco and Minnesota is never fun, but hosting the Texans and Rams at Northwest Stadium provides some interesting storylines. It’s a lot of travel, especially since they have nine home games this year.
Breaking Down the Roster: Who is Actually Playing?
You can't talk about the schedule without talking about the guys on the field. The 2025 season was marred by injuries. Terry McLaurin and Jayden Daniels both spent time on the trainer’s table, which basically neutered the offense during that mid-season slide.
Heading into 2026, the focus is entirely on the offensive line. They traded for Laremy Tunsil last year, but one guy can't fix a unit that allowed Daniels to get hit way too often. The defense, led by Daron Payne and Frankie Luvu, has flashes of brilliance but was consistently burned for big plays in 2025. They finished 27th in points allowed. You aren't winning many games when you're giving up 26.5 points per game.
Names to Watch in 2026
- Jayden Daniels (QB): Needs to prove he can stay healthy for a full 17-game slate.
- Deebo Samuel (WR): The 2025 trade acquisition needs to be a bigger factor in Year 2.
- Tress Way (P): Believe it or not, the punter was their only Pro Bowler in 2025. That says a lot.
Practical Steps for Fans Following the Schedule
If you want to stay on top of the team this year, don't just wait for the Google snippets. The NFL schedule release in May is basically a national holiday. Here is how you should handle it:
- Bookmark the Official Site: Go to Commanders.com. Even if you hate the name, that's where the most accurate ticket info and flex-scheduling updates live.
- Sync to Your Calendar: Most sports apps (like ESPN or the NFL app) let you "Follow" the team and sync every kickoff directly to your phone. This is crucial because "Sunday at 1:00" isn't a guarantee anymore with all the Monday and Thursday night games.
- Watch the "Flex" Window: Starting around Week 5, the NFL can move games into Sunday Night Football. If you're planning a trip to Landover, check the schedule again 12 days before the game.
- Secondary Markets: If you're looking for tickets to the Dallas or Philly home games, buy them early. Those are the two games that consistently sell out, mostly because rival fans travel so well to D.C.
The road back to relevance for this franchise is long. Whether you call them the Commanders or keep searching for the washington redskins football schedule, the reality is the same: this team needs to fix its defense and protect its young quarterback if they want to avoid another 5-12 finish in 2026. The opponents are set; now we just wait for the kickoff.
To stay updated, keep an eye on the NFL's official schedule release in May 2026, which will confirm the specific dates and kickoff times for the matchups listed above. Check local broadcast listings for FOX and CBS, as the majority of Washington's NFC East matchups will remain in the early Sunday afternoon window. For those traveling to games, confirm the stadium location, as the team continues to play at Northwest Stadium in Landover while long-term discussions for a new D.C.-based stadium remain ongoing.