There has been much discussion about the Washington Commanders as they aim to replicate their success from last season, during which they reached the NFC Championship game but lost to their NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. This offseason, the franchise has made significant moves through trades, free agency, and the NFL Draft.
However, the major focus lately has been on whether the organization will properly support wide receiver Terry McLaurin by giving him a long-term contract extension. While the emphasis has been on football, there is also noteworthy news regarding the Commanders: they are considering a return to their original home, the site where RFK Stadium once stood.
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It was approved earlier this year for the Commanders to make their way back home closer to the Nation’s capital, but recently, there has become a concern regarding the timeline on when that might happen.
In a recent interview with The Team 980, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was asked by Kevin Sheehan to rate her level of concern about getting the team into their new stadium by 2030 on a scale from 0 to 5, with 5 being the most concerned. She responded candidly.
“That’s a good question. I’m currently concerned that everyone needs to buckle down and get to work,” Mayor Bowser stated. “I believe our deal is solid, and I’m not worried about it. It benefits D.C., and ultimately, I think everyone wants the same outcome. So, in terms of concern, because as a big city mayor you’re worried about everything, I’ll rate my concern at a four.”
Mayor Bowser is clearly concerned about when the team will be able to call D.C. home again, largely due to the D.C. Council’s slow decision-making process. She emphasized that all parties appear to agree on bringing the Commanders back to their former home, where they played from 1961 to 1996.
However, it seems the Council is delaying a final decision. Both the team and Mayor Bowser had aimed for approval by July 15; however, public hearings are now scheduled for the 29th and 30th, which is two weeks after the original deadline.
There is very little opposition from the council; however, the political process needed to finalize the deal is currently problematic. Public hearings must take place, and the team will likely have to make a full presentation to the city council. This process takes time, and the deal between Washington and the Commanders to bring them home might push the timeline back a bit.
