There is more hope and expectation surrounding the Washington Commanders than at any stage over the last two decades. This brings a different, yet extremely welcome, pressure for head coach Dan Quinn and his talented players.
The Commanders went from a toxic pariah to the NFL's darling in the blink of an eye. Their run to the NFC Championship game resulted in eight standalone contests in 2025, five of which are on primetime. With a new venue at the RFK Stadium site agreed upon pending city council approval and the 2027 draft coming to D.C., it's a far cry from how things looked under the previous owner.
A sleeping giant has awoken, and a big-market fan base was galvanized. Still, this remains a precarious situation for the Commanders with a bigger target on their back.
They won't be a surprise next season. Their schedule is a lot tougher. They have no routine from week to week. These are tests that must be successfully navigated, but Quinn is confident that his squad can continue on their rapid ascent to the NFL's elite.
Of course, things could go wrong for one reason or another. With this in mind, here are five scary Commanders' narratives that could potentially derail their 2025 season.
Scary Commanders' narratives that could derail the 2025 season
Marshon Lattimore's bounce-back
The Washington Commanders formally announced themselves at the league's top table last season. This was officially confirmed when general manager Adam Peters secured the services of four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore via trade from the New Orleans Saints before the 2024 deadline.
This was a major statement of intent. Lattimore's time in New Orleans fizzled out, but the Commanders were confident their new locker room culture could help get the former first-round pick back on track. That wasn't the case, so the pressure is on to make the strides needed in pursuit of avoiding similar complications.
In fairness to Lattimore, he was dealing with a hamstring issue that never seemed right. Peters threw his support behind the player after his underwhelming contribution, with mitigating circumstances attached. The Commanders think that a bounce-back is well within his capabilities once the complication fully heals. No-showing voluntary OTAs wasn't a great look, but it doesn't change the overall objective.
The Commanders need Lattimore to remind the world why he was considered among the league's most prolific shutdown corners once upon a time. If his regression last season becomes the start of something more concerning, Washington has a big problem on its hands.