'We thought it was dead': How Washington beat the odds -- and its past -- to return to RFK

ASHBURN, Va. -- On April 28, Washington Commanders proprietor Josh Harris addressed a radical of reporters soon aft striking 1 of the biggest deals successful caller franchise history.

Harris -- seated successful a acheronian suit alongside D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell -- with a burgundy Commanders pin connected his lapel, wore the look of an jock who had conscionable won a large game.

Before the questions adjacent began, the Maryland autochthonal who grew up a instrumentality of the squad helium bought from erstwhile proprietor Dan Snyder for a then-record $6.05 cardinal successful 2023 smiled arsenic helium gripped the basal of the microphone stationed connected the array successful beforehand of him and leaned successful to speak.

"What an astonishing day," Harris said, earlier clearing his throat. "It's a large time successful our process to bring the Commanders home."

Moving distant from Northwest Stadium successful Landover, Maryland, and bringing the Commanders location was the crushed each parties had gathered that day. Hours before, the squad and the District of Columbia had announced an statement to physique a caller 65,000-seat stadium astatine the aged RFK Stadium tract successful the city. From 1961 to 1996, it had served arsenic the spiritual location for Washington football's glory days, hosting teams that won 5 league titles and 3 Super Bowls portion becoming 1 of the NFL's marquee franchises.

For Harris, who grew up attending games astatine RFK, bringing Washington backmost to the tract was astir reconnecting it to that storied past portion besides trying to scrub distant the memories of the erstwhile 24 years erstwhile nether the stewardship of Snyder -- a play that featured much sanction changes and legislature investigations than playoff seasons. The April announcement marked a large measurement toward making that imagination a reality.

To usage a shot analogy, that April woody with the metropolis gave the Commanders' instrumentality to RFK first-and-goal from 10 yards out.

On Friday, the process Harris spoke about was pushed implicit the enactment erstwhile the D.C. assembly voted to o.k. the stadium and plans for the 174-acre site. It volition person to ballot again connected Sept. 17, but aggregate sources from some sides with cognition of the process said that volition astir assuredly conscionable beryllium a confirmation of the archetypal vote.

That's wherefore Harris, Bowser -- who has championed this instrumentality for much than a decennary -- the metropolis and Commanders fans are present celebrating a Washington triumph that was astir 3 years successful the making.

The caller stadium, which volition unfastened successful 2030, volition correspond the adjacent -- and possibly astir long-lasting -- measurement successful the franchise's renaissance nether Harris and his ownership group, which is wherefore Harris looked truthful pleased erstwhile speaking to reporters alongside Bowers and Goodell past spring.

"For me, it's memories," Harris said. "Some of my happiest days were cheering for the aged squad watching the Super Bowls, watching the greats. For maine to beryllium capable to let for the metropolis to person the aforesaid excitement I had increasing up that we've been missing for truthful galore years. That's what it comes down to. It's an astonishing feeling."

Here is simply a timeline of however Washington's RFK instrumentality became a reality:

Nov. 2, 2022: The Snyders' bombshell announcement

Two weeks aft saying they had nary crushed to see selling the Commanders, owners Dan and Tanya Snyder pivoted -- hard -- amid unit from chap NFL owners to bash so.

The announcement of their intentions to merchantability the franchise was the biggest catalyst, sources from some sides with cognition of the process said, for the franchise's eventual instrumentality to RFK.

When asked if the squad and metropolis would beryllium successful this presumption had Snyder remained successful charge, 1 assembly subordinate offered a elemental answer: "Nope."

Snyder had not developed relationships with the D.C. authorities during his clip arsenic owner.

Bowser told ESPN successful December that "there were a batch of objections raised to the erstwhile ownership and the absorption they took the team."

Multiple erstwhile squad officials said Maryland remained a beardown enactment for a caller stadium, adjacent with Snyder, and Virginia would person worked with him, too. But getting to the territory was not an enactment with him arsenic an owner, according to team, metropolis and assembly sources involved.

Nov. 9, 2022: A House overhaul changes Washington's fortunes

A alteration successful enactment successful the U.S. House of Representatives opened the doorway for advancement connected the stadium site.

The House Oversight Committee, which had been led by the Democrats, had spent the erstwhile twelvemonth investigating the enactment for its workplace civilization nether Snyder, but the tide turned erstwhile Republicans won the House connected Nov. 8 and James Comer (R-Kentucky) became the president of the committee, which oversees D.C.

"The Dems' mentation of Congress was a nonstarter for america going to Capitol Hill," 1 erstwhile squad authoritative said. "A caller league of Congress with the prospects of a caller proprietor freed from the entanglement of Congress, we had a existent cleanable slate."

Washington squad officials began gathering with members of the House Committee connected Natural Resources arsenic good arsenic the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Meanwhile, Comer and Bowser developed a beardown relationship. During their archetypal meeting, Bowser informed him of her plans to revitalize the RFK site, which of people included a stadium.

After the hearing, Comer told Bowser helium would assistance her get a caller "arena" built, but helium meant a stadium.

"That determination has sat deteriorating implicit years," 1 oversight committee adjutant said. "It was a bully accidental to revitalize that vacant land; determination was a propulsion determination astatine the clip due to the fact that of taxpayers' attraction costs connected that land. It was an accidental to get that disconnected the books."

In July 2023, Comer introduced a bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), to bash what the politician had wanted: bring the Commanders backmost to the city. Comer remained progressive passim the process.

July 21, 2023: Josh Harris buys the Commanders

Within a week of buying the team, Harris met with Bowser successful her office, on with number owners Mitch Rales and Mark Ein and their erstwhile vice president of nationalist affairs, Joe Maloney, arsenic good arsenic Bev Perry, a elder advisor to the mayor. Rales and Ein had done galore concern dealings successful the territory implicit the years, and were good known and respected.

But arsenic 1 idiosyncratic successful the gathering said, they weren't determination to commencement brokering a stadium deal. The meeting, which lasted astir an hour, was described arsenic much a listening league for Harris arsenic Bowser discussed her emotion of the franchise and her tendency for the squad to return.

One subordinate said the vibe was "warmth, enthusiasm, excitement. It felt similar everything you hoped for and wanted successful that infinitesimal happened."

After that session, Harris, Ein and Rales went to D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson's bureau for different meeting. Their goal, aggregate sources contiguous said, was simply to commencement processing relationships.

Bowser said Harris' accomplishment -- positive the squad yet winning -- would pb to strengthened enactment by territory residents for a stadium. She said residents were "supportive of the squad itself with the caller leadership."

Dec. 21, 2024: A legislature Hail Mary gets completed

Two months aft completing a Hail Mary to bushed the Chicago Bears, the Commanders benefited from different 1 connected Capitol Hill. This time, alternatively of an NFL opponent, they defeated the aftereffects of an Elon Musk tweet.

Congress was going to lease the national onshore wherever the stadium would beryllium built to the metropolis for 99 years. It was going to beryllium included successful a continuing solution measure that Congress would ballot connected aboriginal successful the week. But, connected Dec. 18, Musk retweeted a tweet that included a header astir $3 cardinal for a caller stadium successful D.C. Musk said successful his retweet, "This should not beryllium funded by your taxation dollars!"

No national wealth was ever portion of the package. The damage, though, was done.

"It astir killed the full thing," 1 erstwhile squad authoritative said. "We thought it was dead. [Congress members] knew it wasn't true, but determination was truthful overmuch vigor astir this. People were saying, 'Sorry, it's not worthy it.'"

That led to, arsenic this authoritative called it, a week of governmental whack-a-mole arsenic they tried to get the onshore transportation restored to the CR bill. The Commanders had "three oregon four" radical connected Capitol Hill lobbying for its inclusion. They did not person the owners visiting senators, fearing the visibility of billionaires lobbying politicians would adhd much substance to Musk's tweet. But Harris and Ein did marque calls to those with whom they had a relationship.

With 24 hours near earlier Congress adjourned, the Commanders pivoted from the CR measure to trying to walk it done unanimous consent -- 100 senators would person to beryllium successful favor. Just 1 objection and their RFK quest would die.

"A batch of last-minute deals to marque definite radical didn't amusement up to say, 'no,'" 1 high-ranking squad root said.

Comer was headed home, but helium phoned U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), who was a imaginable holdout, from Baltimore/Washington International Airport. Comer explained wherefore helium thought it was a "good blimpish bill" and wherefore helium led it, 1 root with cognition of the committee's dealings said.

Around 1:15 a.m. connected Dec. 21, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, introduced the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act connected the floor. He asked for it to beryllium passed by unanimous consent. A fig of different unanimous consent proposals failed that night.

This 1 did not.

"It was similar must-watch TV," a House oversight adjutant said. "I don't deliberation I ever watched the legislature level astatine 2 a.m. before, but it was decidedly 1 infinitesimal I look backmost connected and volition retrieve for a precise agelong time."

April 28, 2025: 'Going home'

After months of talks, 1 of the worst-kept secrets was announced to overmuch pomp and circumstance: The squad and the metropolis had struck a woody for them to physique a stadium. A quality league with respective 100 radical featured Bowser, Harris and Goodell. Music played. Burgundy and golden was disposable passim the room; highlights from Washington's past astatine RFK Stadium played connected a ample screen. Multiple past dignitaries, including Pro Football Hall of Fame manager Joe Gibbs, attended.

The squad said it would put $2.7 cardinal to physique the stadium; the metropolis would spot successful $1 cardinal done assorted means to make the 174-acre spot -- with housing, a sports analyzable and retail shops.

"Without exaggeration," Harris said, "this volition beryllium the champion stadium successful the state erstwhile it's built."

"To person a stadium that brings their squad backmost into D.C., that's a truly large measurement and thing that's been large for the NFL," said Goodell, who besides utilized to be games astatine RFK Stadium.

Washington elder advisor Doug Williams, who became the archetypal Black backmost to triumph a Super Bowl erstwhile helium led the franchise to a rubric aft the 1987 season, added, "We're bringing the stadium backmost wherever it should be. It's conscionable similar going home."

July 20, 2025: The commandant successful main threatens the deal

President Donald Trump threatened to intervene and unit the Commanders to alteration their sanction backmost to their archetypal 1 oregon he'd scuttle the stadium deal.

The squad did not privation to remark connected his statements, and the politician took a diplomatic tone. Sources from the team, the mayor's bureau and the assembly echoed the aforesaid refrain: Nobody wanted to trial Trump's resoluteness connected this issue. They lone wanted to get the woody approved. Bowser had developed a moving narration with Trump, having flown to Mar-A-Lago successful January and attended a quality league successful May to denote the NFL holding the 2027 draught successful D.C.

"I've had the accidental to talk connected a mates of antithetic occasions with the president astir this tract and astir our team," she told ESPN past month. "And I tin accidental this without equivocation: He is simply a Jayden Daniels fan, and helium said himself, and the presser we were at, that this is astir apt the champion tract of immoderate tract he's seen for a stadium. I person to deliberation that that's what I've heard him say, and that's what we'll instrumentality with."

July 23, 2025: D.C. assembly paves mode for Aug. 1 vote

Council seat Mendelson reached an statement with the Commanders to change the fiscal presumption of the stadium deal, which 1 subordinate of the enactment called "a important step." Mendelson said the revised statement would nett the metropolis astir $779 million, whether from profits oregon savings. Mendelson had agelong expressed concerns, but this statement paved the mode for the archetypal ballot connected Aug. 1.

It came aft much relationship-building. On June 30, Ein and squad president Mark Clouse met with 8 members of the D.C. assembly successful an upstairs country astatine Café Milano successful Georgetown.

One assembly subordinate said they did not sermon specifics of the deal. However, that idiosyncratic said, it became evident that "this was not a regular run-of-the-mill transaction" they were progressive in.

"They person a psyche necktie to the district. For me, that was the archetypal clip I was like, 'OK, you're not conscionable jerking america astir like, "We're besides talking to Virginia oregon Maryland."' It was precise wide this is wherever they wanted to beryllium and had a batch of reasons for it; a batch was tied to idiosyncratic committedness to the metropolis and memories," they said.

July 29-30, 2025: Public hearings; the woody gets amended

At the archetypal nationalist proceeding for the stadium proposal, much than 500 residents signed up to attest -- 1 committee subordinate said they couldn't callback a larger group. Mendelson grilled Bowser and Clouse connected the presumption of the deal. Eventually the woody was amended, and Mendelson said the caller statement would nett the territory $674 cardinal much implicit the adjacent 30 years. He said different $55 cardinal successful savings would travel from restructuring however the indebtedness was financed.

After the archetypal hearing, helium told reporters helium felt determination were the indispensable 8 votes to pass.

Aug. 1, 2025: The decisive vote

The D.C. assembly approved gathering a stadium astatine the RFK tract by a 9-3 ballot (it needed a two-thirds majority). It inactive has to ballot again Sept. 17, but 1 idiosyncratic adjacent to the concern said that, successful their decade-plus of moving for the council, they person not seen a 2nd ballot spell a antithetic mode from the first.

Multiple sources with the squad and assembly said the assembly has told the squad it tin proceed with its readying aft this vote, knowing September would service arsenic a play astatine the extremity of a sentence.

Some assembly members said they were driven by the fearfulness of what would hap to the spot if they didn't ballot successful favour of this proposal. There was nary alternate program successful spot to consider, and they disquieted different wouldn't travel to fruition for a while.

"Congress gives the onshore and we walk a 4th of it doing nothing?" this subordinate said. "We person thing to beryllium to members of Congress who enactment their governmental superior connected the line. The alternate is we're inactive talking astir this onshore successful 10 years."

Instead, they're present talking astir a franchise returning to wherever it had its champion seasons. Washington pushed for a ballot this summertime because, arsenic overmuch arsenic the squad wanted to instrumentality to this site, it besides wanted to unfastened the stadium by 2030 truthful it could beryllium successful information to big the Women's World Cup successful 2031.

After what the franchise and metropolis went done to scope this point, thing is possible.