The Washington Commanders wrapped up their 2026 season with a 24-17 road victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Here are five takeaways from the finale.
1. Another solid game from Josh Johnson.
Johnson didn't set any records in his second start of the season, but he did enough to keep the Commanders' offense moving and win the game. It marks the second time that Johnson played well in place of primary backup Marcus Mariota, completing 14 of his 22 pass attempts for 131 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also added nine carries for 45 yards, including what ended up being the game-winning score in the fourth quarter.
It was Johnson's first win as a starter since the 2018 season.
"It's unexplainable, man," Johnson said after the game. "I know to the rest of the world, this might not mean nothing, but just the journey I've been on, the last time I was in this building, I thought my career was over and to just go out here and win today, not just win, but...for us to come together in [unison], get this win, I think it was a great one. I think that's the best thing I can say."
Similar to his performance against the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day, Johnson looked comfortable leading the offense. With the Commanders down 7-0, Johnson hit Terry McLaurin for a 25-yard gain on third-and-7. He later drew pass interference calls that helped move the offense to the Eagles' 1-yard line and set up the eventual touchdown from Chris Rodriguez Jr. In the second half, he scrambled to convert a third-and-7 and later decided to keep the ball himself and run in the game-winning score.
Johnson has had one of the most interesting NFL careers because of all the teams he's played for. Sunday's game was an example of why he can still find a job at 39 years old.
2. Bobby Wagner joined an elite club.
Although Sunday's game had little meaning aside from finalizing spots in the draft order, it was an opportunity for some of the Commanders' players to further cement themselves in NFL history. The first was Wagner, whose five tackles made him just the third player to record 2,000 tackles in his career.
Ray Lewis and London Fletcher are the other two players on that list.
"He's the best tackler I've coached," head coach Dan Quinn said after the game. "I looked at the stat line at the half and I was, 'okay, let's split some. Let's get some more tackles.' But in true Wags fashion, he will find a way. He's remarkable in so many ways."
Wagner was more concerned about the Commanders getting a win at Lincoln Financial Field, but he acknowledged that reaching 2,000 tackles had personal significance. He reached out to both Lewis and Fletcher earlier in his career looking for advice, and to be in a group with them is "a blessing." Wagner was also able to share the moment with Fletcher, who is now part of the Commanders' radio broadcast crew.
"Now that part is special; to be able to do that for this city and this jersey and to have him be the guy that presents it to you is special," Wagner said. "I remember when I reached out to him, and I remember it was no questions asked. He took my phone call and answered all my questions."
Wagner has not decided what he's going to do for the next steps in his career, but after another 100-tackle season, he's proven that he can still play at a high level.
3. Von Miller moves up on the all-time sack list.
Like Wagner, Miller is already considered one of the best to ever play his position, but he added another bullet point to his already extensive Hall of Fame resume on Sunday, when he recorded his ninth sack of the season in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter.
The play tied him with Cowboys linebacker Demarcus Ware for ninth most sacks all-time on the official list, putting him in the same company as Terrell Suggs (139), Michael Strahan (141.5), Chris Doleman (150.5) and Julius Peppers (159.5).
"I'm really honored that I got to coach him," Quinn said. "I wish I'd coached him for all the years because of the uniqueness that he brings. But anybody who's really, really good at something, there's a lot of detail that goes into it, and that's what I've learned from him, and I'm the one that's on the grateful side. I learned a lot."
Miller said after the game that moving up the sack list was "special" and something he wanted to do this season. It was one of the main topics he and Quinn discussed before he signed with the team, saying he couldn't retire until he passed Ware -- one of his biggest mentors.
"He's been supportive of this, too," Miller said of Ware. "That's truly like my brother. He's been supporting me and pushing me this entire time."
Miller is set to be a free agent this offseason but has expressed interest in re-signing with Washington. We'll see whether the two sides can agree on terms to bring him back.
4. Jacory Croskey-Merritt wraps up a nice rookie campaign.
Although the Commanders' season didn't go as planned, there were a few bright spots, and Croskey-Merritt was one of the best young players to emerge with an increased workload.
Croskey-Merritt finished Sunday's game with modest numbers (13 carries for 29 yards), but it does wrap up what has otherwise been an impressive rookie season. He led the team with 805 rushing yards, making him the first Washington running back to do so since Antonio Gibson in 2021. He had eight rushing touchdowns, making him the fourth rookie running back in the league to have at least seven rushing touchdowns this season.
Croskey-Merritt passed Gibson (795 in 2020) and Brian Robinson Jr. (797 in 2022) for No. 6 all-time in franchise history in rushing yards by a rookie and No. 4 all-time in franchise history in rushing yards by a rookie running back.
Croskey-Merritt was an almost instant fan favorite because of the quickness and vision he showed in college. While he still has plenty left to learn, both were on display throughout the season. It seemed like he was starting to develop into a more complete player near the end of the season, as nearly one-third of all his yardage came in the final four games.
Croskey-Merritt showed that he deserves to be on the roster as a seventh-round pick. Now, he'll need to build on the success he has as a rookie.
5. Get ready for the offseason.
Every offseason is important, but the Commanders' next few months appear to carry even more significance. They went from appearing in the NFC Championship with a 12-5 record to holding the seventh overall pick in the draft at 5-12 -- a seven-game swing in about a year. Obviously, they want to recapture the success they had in 2024, although several questions are looming for them to answer.
For starters, the Commanders must decide on what direction they're taking with the defense -- a unit that generally underperformed in 2025. Quinn took over as the play caller, which helped stabilize things a bit, but that doesn't appear to be a permanent solution. The Commanders also have several personnel issues at positions like cornerback and pass rusher that need to be addressed if Washington hopes to be competitive on that side of the ball.
Many of Washington's offensive struggles can be attributed to injuries, but the team needs to figure out how the unit will be structured going forward. Players like Austin Ekeler, Zach Ertz and Noah Brown are all set to be free agents this offseason. That leaves questions at tight end, wide receiver and running back, all of which could be addressed in either free agency or the draft.
Although injuries played a large role in the Commanders' season, it wasn't the only factor in their slump. They have plenty of work to do, and it will be on Quinn and general manager Adam Peters to figure out the best way back to making the Commanders a playoff-caliber team.
