With the NFL set to release its full 2025 schedule on Wednesday, many of the league's marquee prime-time matchups have already been announced in advance. For the Washington Commanders, it has been a mixed bag.
Many Washington fans were disappointed when the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles would be opening their season against the Dallas Cowboys, a slot the Commanders should have earned instead. Since then, two dates have been finalized, while two more can be considered likely.
Of those two confirmed dates, there are both positives and negatives to take away for the Commanders. Let's take a look.
The good: Commanders lose a true road game in Madrid
Washington will be competing in the first-ever Spanish international game on November 16 against the Miami Dolphins, giving the team a prime opportunity to be part of NFL history.
The best part, though? The contest takes the place of what was already set to be a road game for the Commanders.
Washington was set to play more away games (nine) than home games (eight) in 2025, but now it will be an even eight of each with this one coming at a neutral site. It's a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.
The bad: Week 16 slate means likely Commanders' holiday travel
The other Commanders game that was revealed ahead of time comes in Week 16, when they'll host the Eagles on the Saturday before Christmas. It's the same slot on the calendar that Philadelphia traveled to Northwest Stadium last season — a game that resulted in a statement 36-33 Washington triumph against the soon-to-be champions.
However, it also means it's highly likely the Commanders will be playing on Christmas Day, and likely on the road at that.
Last season, the four teams that played on the Saturday before Christmas all played again at the most festive time of year, having been given an extra day of rest before the holiday. This season, the other two teams playing on Saturday are the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, both of which appear on Washington's schedule in 2025.
The Commanders will play the Bears at home and the Packers on the road this season. Since the Week 16 rivalry clash is a home fixture, it can be considered a safe bet that they'll be in Green Bay on Christmas. This is highly inconvenient for travel purposes, as well as for players and other team members who would almost certainly prefer to be spending time with their families.
It also seems likely that the Commanders will be playing the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, the week after they return from Spain.
Washington has played on the holiday in five of the past nine seasons, four times against its bitter rivals in Dallas. Given the team's rise in relevancy and the fact that they were not featured in the slate last season, it would be surprising if they're not the Cowboys' annual Turkey Day opponent — meaning the team will be spending another holiday away from home.
Overall, there's still plenty to be excited by. The fact that the Commanders are on the NFL's radar for what figures to be a handful of featured matchups is nothing short of a resounding positive. The Madrid game, in particular, should be one Washington can look forward to as an opportunity to put the team on the map in a country that has never witnessed American football first-hand before.
The likely holiday travel, meanwhile, is an unfortunate inconvenience for those involved. But for the spoiled fans at home, it's just an excuse to gather around the whole family to watch some Commanders' football.
