Hail to the Redskins: The Glory Days of Football May Be Returning to DC Thanks to the Senate

No one will be singing "Auld Lang Syne" louder this holiday season than DC football fans, who just learned that their frustrating yet beloved football team may once again be making its home within the Washington, D.C. borders. Better yet, it may be on the land that once housed the much-loved RFK Stadium, home of the Washington Redskins.

In what's being described as a last-minute "Hail Mary," the United States Senate, in an early-morning Saturday vote, passed the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act, which had been approved by the House of Representatives back in February.

Passage of the legislation, which transfers control of the land to D.C. at no cost, is a tremendous win for Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D), who for years has sought to turn the property surrounding the decaying football stadium into a major new attraction and possibly bring the Washington Commanders back to their old home. The bill, which must still be signed by the president, will allow Bowser to formally negotiate with the Commanders — a possibility sure to excite the city’s football fans, who have not seen a home game in Washington since 1996.

Currently, the Washington Commanders (sigh) play in Landover, Maryland, at what's now known as Northwest Stadium. The stadium was built in the 1990s by previous owner Jack Kent Cooke and is widely disliked by players and fans alike, with many fans opting to stay home rather than make the hike into rundown Prince George's County, Maryland, to cheer on the team.

The stadium has such a bad rap that Taylor Swift won't perform there, and other acts have followed suit, meaning locals often have to trek to Baltimore or Richmond to catch their favorite bands. It's so bad that no games of the 2026 World Cup, which the United States is hosting, will be played anywhere near the nation's capital.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), who for years has been fighting Maryland and Virginia for the chance to bring the stadium back to the RFK site, tweeted out her excitement.

This is a win for DC, for our region, and for America.

Everybody loves a good comeback story – and that’s DC’s story. #OurRFK
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) December 21, 2024

The Commanders's new owner, Josh Harris, expressed his thanks to the Senate:

"We are extremely grateful that our elected officials have come together on a bipartisan basis to give Washington, D.C., the opportunity to decide on the future of the RFK Stadium site," Harris said, via The Associated Press. "This bill will create an equal playing field so that all potential future locations for the home of the Washington Commanders can be fairly considered and give our franchise the opportunity to provide the best experience for all of our fans."

The move by the Senate opens up the competition between Virginia, Maryland and DC to see who will get to build the possible new stadium once the team's current contract expires in 2028. Maryland will not want to lose the team and Virginia doesn't have enough land available anywhere near DC.

Most fans are in favor of building on the old RFK site, although they are not in favor of using public money to finance it. But, hey, if they're going to bring back RFK Stadium, it makes perfect sense to let sanity prevail and have the team be the Washington Redskins once again.

Now That DC's Football Team Is Reclaiming Its Past Glory, It's Time to Reclaim the 'Redskins' Name (VIP)