The season was the Commanders' eighth-straight having a different quarterback start opening week, with 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels selected second overall in the 2024 NFL draft after Sam Howell had been traded to the Seattle Seahawks. Daniels was named Offensive Rookie of the Month for September after setting the single-game rookie completion percentage record and completing the highest number of passes (82.1%) over a four-game span in NFL history. The season also featured the Madhouse in Maryland, a game-winning 52-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired from Daniels to wide receiver Noah Brown against the Chicago Bears in Week 8.
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin, defensive end Clelin Ferrell, and safety Jeremy Reaves served as game captains.[24] Rookie quarterback (QB) Jayden Daniels scored two goal line rushing touchdowns and gained 272 total yards, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for 80 yards with two touchdowns in his debut.[25][26]
ARI – Marvin Harrison Jr. – 5 receptions, 45 yards, TD
Running back Jeremy McNichols, guard Nick Allegretti, and safety Quan Martin served as game captains.[36] 42 points were the most the Commanders had scored in a game since 2016 and was the first time scoring 38 or more in consecutive games since 1991.[37] QB Jayden Daniels set a record for having the highest completion percentage (82.1) over a four game span in NFL history and became the first to complete at least 85 percent of his passes in consecutive games.[38] Daniels was also named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for September, being the first player for the team to win it since Robert Griffin III in 2012.[39] With 15 tackles, linebacker Bobby Wagner moved into fourth place on the career tackles list.[40]
Quarterback Jayden Daniels, defensive end Dorance Armstrong, and safety Jeremy Chinn served as game captains.[41] The Commanders became the first NFL team since 1970 to score at least 150 points in their first five games with a rookie quarterback, with Jayden Daniels being the first to pass for more than 1,000 yards and rush for more than 250 during the same span.[42] It was also their first time winning two consecutive games by at least 20 points since 1997, first time scoring at least 30 points in three consecutive games since 2015, and the first time scoring three rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games in franchise history.[43] Linebacker Frankie Luvu had 7 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery, with the defense having seven total sacks of Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.[43]
Tackle Andrew Wylie, defensive tackle Daron Payne, and long snapper Tyler Ott served as game captains.[44] Wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught two touchdowns, marking the first time in his career recording four touchdowns within four games.[45] Rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil recorded his first career interception off Lamar Jackson, giving the Commanders their first of the season.[45]
Guard Sam Cosmi and linebackers Frankie Luvu and Nick Bellore served as game captains.[46] The Commanders surpassed their win total of 4 from 2023 with a 40–7 win over the Carolina Panthers, their largest margin of victory since 2015.[47] Defensive end Dante Fowler returned an Andy Dalton interception 67 yards for a touchdown on the opening drive, the team's first defensive score of the season.[48] Quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a rib injury on his first drive and left the game, with backup Marcus Mariota going for 205 yards and two touchdowns.[48] The game also served as alumni homecoming, with Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Darrell Green, who spent his entire 20-year career with Washington, having his No. 28 jersey retired at halftime.[49]
Wide receiver Noah Brown, safety Quan Martin, and tight end John Bates served as game captains.[53] With the win, the Commanders swept the Giants for the first time since 2021 and had their best start to a season (7–2) since 1996.[54][55] The Giants entered the game leading the NFL in quarterback sacks but failed to record any for the first time in the season.[54] The win would also be Dan Quinn's 50th in his head coaching career.[55]
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin, linebacker Bobby Wagner, and safety Percy Butler served as game captains.[56]Zach Ertz surpassed Greg Olsen for sixth place in career tight end receptions while McLaurin surpassed Jerry Smith for sixth place in franchise receptions.[57] Defensive end Dante Fowler had his second consecutive game with two sacks, becoming the first Washington player to record multiple sacks in consecutive games since Ryan Kerrigan in 2017.[57]
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 5 receptions, 102 yards, TD
Center Tyler Biadasz, defense end Dante Fowler, and cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, who all played with the Cowboys in 2023, served as game captains.[60] The Commanders blocked a field goal and punt in the same game for the first time since 1977.[61] A total of 41 points were scored in the fourth quarter, including two kickoff return touchdowns by the Cowboys and an 86-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Terry McLaurin in the final seconds, the longest of his career, before kicker Austin Seibert missed the extra point to potentially tie it.[62] During the game, McLaurin surpassed former tight end Chris Cooley for fifth-most career receptions in team history.[61]
WAS – Brian Robinson Jr. – 16 rushes, 103 yards, TD
Top receivers
TEN – Nick Westbrook-Ikhine – 3 receptions, 61 yards, 2 TD
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 8 receptions, 73 yards, 2 TD
Quarterback Marcus Mariota, defensive tackle Sheldon Day, and punter Tress Way served as game captains.[63] In scoring 42 points, the Commanders matched a season high and
marked their first time since 1991 to score over 40 points in three or more games in a season.[64] The Commanders had 267 total rushing yards, their most since 2012, with the game being their first December home win since 2017.[64] Quarterback Jayden Daniels became the first rookie in NFL history to complete 80 percent of his passes, throw three touchdowns, and run for a touchdown in a single game, was the first quarterback for the team to record three passing touchdowns with a rushing touchdown since 2015, and also became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw for two touchdowns and rush for one in consecutive games since 1970.[64][65] Running back Brian Robinson Jr.'s 40 yard touchdown run set a career high and was also the longest rush by the team since 2019.[64] Linebacker Bobby Wagner surpassed 100 tackles for the season, extending his streak of doing so to 13 consecutive seasons.[64] Cornerback Mike Sainristil forced and recovered a fumble, both career firsts, becoming the third rookie in team history to have done so in a single game.[66]
^ abAtlanta wins tie break over Arizona based on conference record. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate San Francisco (see below).
^ abArizona wins tie break over San Francisco based on head-to-head victory.
^ abNew Orleans wins tie break over Dallas based on head-to-head victory.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.
Legend
w — Clinched wild card
x — Clinched playoff berth
y — Clinched division
z — Clinched first-round bye and home-field advantage
^Campbell, Lauren (September 10, 2024). "How Caleb Williams, other rookies fared in Week 1 debut". MassLive. Retrieved September 10, 2024. Daniels rushed for two scores and became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for 80 yards with two touchdowns in his first career game, per the Commanders.
^"Commanders-Cardinals Stats & Snaps". Commanders.com. September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024. Wagner (1,734) has passed LB Zach Thomas (1,733) for the fourth-most tackles in NFL history.
^Washington Commanders [@Commanders] (October 4, 2024). "Week 5 captains" (Tweet). Retrieved November 13, 2024 – via Twitter.