Week 1 of the 2026 Washington Commanders season has arrived.
Can you believe it? No more mini-camps, no more organized team activities, no more training camp, no more preseason games, no more massive cuts to get down to the 53-man roster. No more signing released players to assemble a 16-man practice squad.
Week 1 is on! The Commanders are preparing to face their opening opponent, two-time defending NFC East champion the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles were the 2024 NFC and Super Bowl Champions, while Washington lost to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. The 2025 Eagles won the division, finishing 11-6, followed by Dallas at 7-9-1, Washington at 5-12, and the New York Giants at 4-13.
The Commanders’ offense was one of the best in the NFL
in 2024, averaging 28.5 points per game. But injuries to receivers, and in particular QB Jayden Daniels, cut offensive production to 20.9 points per game in 2025. OC Kliff Kingsbury and Dan Quinn didn’t see eye-to-eye on how the offense would move forward. Consequently, Quinn remains the head coach, and Kingsbury departed and is now on Sean McVay’s LA Rams staff.
The Commanders lost tight end Zach Ertz, so they signed free agent TE Chig Okonkwo. GM Adam Peters felt the Commanders really needed help at receiver, so he drafted rookie Antonio Williams 71st overall and then signed veteran free agent receiver Stefon Diggs. Also returning after one season in Jacksonville, is deep threat, Dyami Brown.
Which brings to my mind an amazing franchise record. In 1967, QB Sonny Jurgensen passed for a franchise record 31 touchdown passes. Keep in mind, Jurgensen set this record under NFL rules where receivers were not protected downfield as they are today. Even more, Jurgensen completed his 31 touchdown passes in only a 14-game NFL regular-season schedule.
Congrats to Sonny Jurgensen on the #Commanders deciding to retire his No. 9. Best pure passer in franchise history. And when you combine that with his legendary work on Redskins radio broadcasts, he is perhaps the greatest icon in team history. pic.twitter.com/oVAVnWCsSS
— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) August 23, 2022
Never forget what Jayden Daniels is capable of.
— Reedie & Zee (@reedieandzee) September 2, 2026
Feels like a lot of people have already forgotten just how DIFFERENT 5 can be. #RaiseHail #ReedieAndZee #Commanders pic.twitter.com/IORrhGncQ3
Beginning in 1978, the NFL expanded its schedule to 16 regular-season games, which was the norm through the 2020 season. In 2021, the NFL added the 17th regular-season game. So, with three extra games, will Jayden Daniels be able to break Jurgensen’s record of 31 touchdown passes in a single season?
Wouldn’t it be a great way to start the 2026 season if Daniels could throw for a couple of touchdown passes, one being a winning drive in Philadelphia to beat the Eagles?
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Can Commanders QB Jayden Daniels break a longstanding franchise record in 2026?
