- Home
- Washington football history
Since 1932
Washington football history
Five championships, five names, three home cities and a fight song older than all but one in the NFL. Start here for everything that came before this season.
Five championships
From Boston to Washington
Boston Braves
Boston, Massachusetts. The NFL awarded the franchise to George Preston Marshall, Vincent Bendix, Jay O'Brien and Dorland Doyle on July 9, 1932. The team took the name of baseball's Boston Braves, whose Braves Field it shared.
Boston Redskins
Boston, Massachusetts. Renamed in 1933 when the team moved to Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox.
Washington Redskins
Washington, D.C. (Landover, Md., from 1997). Marshall moved the team to Washington on Feb. 13, 1937. Home games were in D.C. through 1996 and in Landover, Md., from 1997.
Washington Football Team
Landover, Maryland. The team announced on July 13, 2020, that it would retire its former name and logo, and adopted 'Washington Football Team' as a temporary name on July 23, 2020.
Washington Commanders
Landover, Maryland. Announced Feb. 2, 2022. The finalists were Armada, Presidents, Brigade, Red Hogs, Commanders, RedWolves, Defenders and Football Team. A new stadium on the RFK Stadium site in D.C. is planned for 2030.
Hail to the Commanders: the fight song
Music: Barnee Breeskin, the team's band leader, 1937. Words: Corinne Griffith, actress and wife of founder George Preston Marshall.
The music was composed in 1937 by band leader Barnee Breeskin, the year the franchise moved to Washington; the team's marching band was founded on Aug. 9, 1937.
It debuted as the team's official fight song on Aug. 17, 1938, and has been played at home games since the 1938 season.
It is the second-oldest fight song of an NFL team, after the Green Bay Packers' 'Go! You Packers! Go!' (1931).
In 1958 Clint Murchison, who was trying to bring an NFL team to Dallas, bought the song's rights from Breeskin; Marshall agreed to back the Dallas bid, got the rights back, and the Cowboys were founded.
The lyrics have been revised several times: in 1959 'Fight for old D.C.' became 'Fight for old Dixie', and a 'Dixie' countermelody was dropped in 1965.
In 1972 team president Edward Bennett Williams changed lyrics after meeting with Native American representatives who objected to them.
The song was not played at home games in 2020 and 2021, after the team retired its former name.
It returned in 2022 as 'Hail to the Commanders', with the new line 'Fight for our Commanders' chosen by fan vote over 'Leaders on a Mission', and 'Sons of Washington' changed to 'All of Washington'.
The revamped version debuted at the 2022 preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers at FedExField on Aug. 13, 2022.
At home games the Washington Commanders Marching Band plays it after every Washington touchdown.
Hail to the Redskins
Hail to the Commanders
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, nbcwashington.com
Explore Washington history
Championships
Two NFL titles and three Super Bowls
The Hogs and legends
The Hogs, the Fun Bunch, the Posse
Ring of Fame
52 members, the Hall of Famers and retired numbers
Stadium history
Boston to Griffith, RFK and Landover
Name history
Five names since 1932
Greatest moments
The plays fans still talk about, with video
On this day
Something happened on almost every date
Every season
All records since 1932
Record book
Career, season and game records
Playoff history
Every postseason game
Head-to-head
Records against every opponent
Draft history
Every Washington pick since 1980
History FAQ
When were the Washington Commanders founded?
The franchise was founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves, renamed the Boston Redskins in 1933 and moved to Washington in 1937.
How many Super Bowls have the Commanders won?
Three: Super Bowl XVII (1982 season), Super Bowl XXII (1987 season), Super Bowl XXVI (1991 season). Washington also won the 1937 and 1942 NFL Championships.
What is the Commanders' all-time record?
647-662-29 in the regular season and 25-21 in the playoffs from 1932 through the latest game.
What was the team's original name?
The Boston Braves, in 1932. The team has also been the Boston Redskins, the Washington Redskins, the Washington Football Team and, since 2022, the Washington Commanders.