Could the Commanders Return to RFK Stadium?

On January 17th, 1988, Washington beat the Vikings to clinch a Super Bowl berth, and RFK Stadium nearly came apart. Fans ripped benches from the stands. The ground shook. It was chaos in the best way. Now, nearly three decades after the team left, there’s talk of a return. With new ownership, renewed fan interest, and legislation in motion, the Commanders coming back to RFK Stadium isn't just a nostalgic fantasy; it's a real possibility. 

From 1961 to 1996, RFK Stadium was the team’s home and its heart. It hosted three Super Bowl-winning teams and gave Washington one of the fiercest home-field advantages in the league. Opponents dreaded it and fans loved it. FedEx Field, by comparison, never felt like home. Since moving to Landover, 11 miles outside of D.C., the franchise has cycled through controversies and losing seasons. Now, with Josh Harris leading a new ownership group, the team is rebuilding its identity, and that could include a return to the District of Columbia. 

The biggest hurdle? Ownership. The RFK Stadium site is on federal land, currently controlled by the National Park Service and leased to the District. The stadium itself is being demolished, but any new development, especially a privately owned NFL stadium, would require an act of Congress. That is exactly what some lawmakers are now trying to pass. A proposed bill would transfer control of the land to D.C., giving the city authority to redevelop as it sees fit. 

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had been a vocal supporter, but the bill still faces opposition from activists who want the land to be used for housing and parks, and from members of Congress wary of giving public land to a billion-dollar league. Josh Harris has made it clear: he's exploring all stadium options, but the emotional pull to RFK Stadium is real. Fans agree. At camp, on social media, and around the city, there’s growing support for a return. Many see it as a chance to reconnect with the team's roots after years of feeling disconnected, both physically and emotionally. 

Could it happen? Many believe so, but there are still some things left before it becomes official. On April 28th, the D.C. Council approved the initial legislation that would pave the way for a new stadium at the RFK Stadium site. A second and final vote is scheduled for September. While nothing is locked in yet, the deal is widely expected to pass. If it does, the Commanders can move forward with serious planning, and for the first time in decades, a return to the city would shift from hopeful talk to a real possibility. The fact that this conversation is happening so openly and widely with much support from D.C. fans and officials is a sign that much has changed in Washington. After years of dysfunction, the team is finally looking forward, and for many fans, that future might just lead back to where it all began.