The Washington Commanders almost as big of a jump off the field in 2024 as they did on it.
Led by new head coach Dan Quinn and star rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders shocked the NFL by improving from 4-13 to 12-5 and winning two road playoff game on their way to the NFC Championship.
That radical improvement carried over to management, where the Commanders enjoyed the largest leap among any team in the NFL Players Association survey. Covering 11 key work environment categories such as facilities, ownership and family support, Washington under former owner Dan Snyder ranked dead last 32nd the previous two seasons. But under new owner Josh Harris, the Commanders improved this year all the way to No. 11.
“Josh Harris last year had one of my favorite quotes — ‘I’m not an F-minus guy’ — and proved it this year,” NFLPA chief strategy officer JC Tretter said this week in the wake of the survey's release. “What’s impressive about that is it really shows the point of this project. If you’ve been in the Commanders’ facility, it’s still the same facility. He made changes in staffing, he made changes in what players had been asking for, and he changed the culture there — and you could feel that.”
The Commanders improved nearly every facet of their operations. At Northwest Stadium, the team now offers daycare for the children of players and staff members during games. The Commanders’ treatment of families received a B-plus, up from an F-minus in 2023.
Washington’s athletic training group also showed improvement, jumping from 31st to 11th in the rankings. Quinn installed a daily recovery period in which players can receive a variety of treatment from specialists, including massage therapy, cupping, dry-needling and yoga.
