Commanders' schedule includes Christmas with the Cowboys, 5 prime-time games

By Liam Griffin - The Washington Times - Wednesday, May 14, 2025

The Washington Commanders are appointment viewing, if the NFL’s schedule-makers are any indication.

The District’s franchise will play in eight “standalone” games next season — matchups in prime time or unique slots outside of Sunday afternoons. The slate includes a rivalry matchup on Christmas Day, a midseason trip to Madrid and a Thursday night showdown with the Green Bay Packers.

The NFL unveiled the full 2025 schedule on Wednesday night with a three-hour television special as the league continues its quest to dominate all 12 months of the sports calendar.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Commanders open the season with a home game against the New York Giants on Sept. 7. The divisional tilt is one of just a handful of Sunday afternoon games for Washington.

An unexpected run to the NFC championship game last season turned the Commanders into a hot commodity for the league’s broadcast partners.

Washington’s prime-time slate begins in Week 2, when the franchise travels to Green Bay to face the Packers on the Sept. 11 edition of “Thursday Night Football” on Prime Video.

The NFL chose not to flex last year’s game between the Commanders and the Chicago Bears into prime time. The game — which pitted 2024 top pick Caleb Williams against Daniels, the No. 2 pick — became an instant classic when Washington won on a last-second Hail Mary. This year’s rematch will air on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” on Oct. 13.

Washington will then feature in back-to-back prime-time games in Weeks 8 and 9. The Commanders will head to Kansas City to face superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on the Oct. 27 edition of “Monday Night Football.” The schedule release didn’t specify whether pop superstar Taylor Swift, the girlfriend of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, would be in attendance.

Washington will then host the Seattle Seahawks six days later on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” on Nov. 2.

The Commanders will make history on Nov. 16 when they play the Miami Dolphins in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Spain. The first-ever matchup in Madrid will begin at 9:30 a.m. on NFL Network at Bernabeu Stadium, home of the Real Madrid soccer team.

The matchup — the second international game in Commanders history — will be followed by a bye week, which has become customary for most teams after traveling overseas.

Coach Dan Quinn’s squad will make an immediate return to prime time after the break. The “Sunday Night Football” crew will return to Northwest Stadium for the Nov. 30 matchup between the Commanders and the Denver Broncos.

The spotlight will intensify when the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles come to Northwest Stadium for a nationally televised rematch of last year’s NFC championship on Saturday, Dec. 20.

Washington will then host the rival Cowboys on Christmas Day for another “standalone” game that will stream on Netflix at 1 p.m..

The Commanders’ schedule is back-loaded with key divisional matchups. After hosting the Giants for the season opener and visiting the Cowboys on Oct. 19, Washington will end the season with four straight rivalry games.

The stretch begins with a visit to the New York Giants on Dec. 14, followed by the nationally televised bouts against the Eagles and Cowboys. The season ends with a matchup against the Eagles in Philadelphia.

This season, Daniels will likely face four of the five quarterbacks drafted alongside him in the first round of last year’s draft. The matchups against Chicago’s Williams and Denver’s Bo Nix are part of the expansive prime-time lineup.

The Commanders will also face Michael Penix, the likely starting signal-caller for the Atlanta Falcons, during an away game on Sept. 28. Daniels and the Commanders clinched a playoff berth with a last-second win over the Falcons last season.

The Minnesota Vikings are scheduled to host the Commanders on Dec. 7. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the 10th pick in last year’s draft, is expected to start for the Vikings after missing his rookie season with a knee injury.

Washington will also host the Detroit Lions, a Super Bowl contender, on Nov. 9. The Commanders upset a heavily favored Lions squad in the divisional round of last season’s playoffs.

The Commanders play the Las Vegas Raiders at Northwest Stadium on Sept. 21 and visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 5.

Based on last year’s standings, the Commanders will face the eighth-toughest schedule in the league. Washington faces seven teams that made the playoffs last year.

The NFL season kicks off when the defending champion Eagles face the Cowboys on Sept. 4.

Here is the schedule:

— New York Giants on Sept. 7

— At Green Bay Packers on Sept. 11 (Thursday Night Football on Prime Video)

— Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 21

— At Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 28

— At Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 5

— Chicago Bears on Oct. 13 (Monday Night Football on ESPN)

— At Dallas Cowbos on Oct. 19

— At Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 27 (Monday Night Football on ESPN)

— Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 2 (Sunday Night Football on NBC)

— Detroit Lions on Nov. 9