The Washington Commanders announced a chance to how they announce game captains this season, in addition to Sam Cosmi getting the first weekly honor
The wait is nearly over as the Washington Commanders are set to kick off the 2026 regular season this weekend in the first of two divisional games on the road when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles for a 4:25 PM ET kickoff on FOX. While it marks the long awaited chance for the Commanders to prove themselves to kick off a hopeful bounceback season, head coach Dan Quinn will also do things a bit differently this season after announcing a change at the start of the week.
After previously rolling with weekly captains over the last two seasons, Quinn announced that following a team vote, quarterback Jayden Daniels, wide receiver Terry McLaurin, linebacker Frankie Luvu, safety Jeremy Reaves and punter Tress Way will serve as permanent captains for the upcoming 2026 regular season. In addition, the team will designate one game captain on Friday with starting right guard Sam Cosmi announced as the weekly captain for the week one matchup vs. Philadelphia.
"I wanted to say, 'who [are] the people that you want that really represent the standard of what we wanna be about?'," Quinn said. "Who walks the walk?"
Quinn pointed to multiple others on the roster who were capable of stepping into that permanent group, including Sam Cosmi and defensive lineman Daron Payne, yet the chance to add stability to the leadership group also mattered to Quinn.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels has kept consistent that his entire focus is on the upcoming season, not his star-studded rookie season or injury-ridden 2025 season, as Quinn and offensive coordinator David Blough have praised his development and maturity. Similar could be said for McLaurin, who enters Sunday preparing for one of the key matchups to watch with cornerback Quinyon Mitchell likely drawing the assignment once again. Yet his veteran presence both on and off the field has been evident since his rise in the organization as he, Stefon Diggs and rookie Antonio Williams lead a revamped wide receiver room that has others looking to prove themselves.
Luvu enters the season as an intriguing piece in an upgraded inside linebacker room, though the veteran drew the 'green dot' assignment for the bulk of training camp where he could serve as a versatile piece in first-year coordinator Daronte Jones' scheme.
While safety Jeremy Reaves has seemingly been entrenched in a leadership role as he now becomes a two-time season-long captain, first earning the honor during Ron Rivera's last season with the organization, where he's remained a fixture is on special teams. Way, meanwhile, will take the field to start what could prove to be his final NFL season after revealing his plans after Thursday's practice. This also marks the fifth time that Way has earned the season-long accolade, a deserving honor for the organization's longest tenured player.
"I think it was the group that said this is the right time to do this," Dan Quinn said.
