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Commanders unveil new uniforms, debut ‘Hail Raiser’ look with alternate logo

The Commanders unveiled their new uniforms Wednesday, returning to their more traditional color scheme — and to a look similar to when the franchise won three Super Bowls between 1981-91.

“They’re associated with some incredible moments,” Washington team president Mark Clouse said.

When Washington officially changed its name to the Commanders in February 2022, it also went away from its traditional look.

The team also unveiled an alternate jersey — dubbed the Hail Raiser — that features a spear knifing through the burgundy W on both sides of a black helmet, almost meeting in the front. The franchise featured a spear with a feather dangling from it on its burgundy helmet from 1965-68.

Clouse said they wanted to bridge “the evolution from the Redskins era to the Commander era.”

“The spear is just such a great device,” he said. “That was part [of] the heritage of the team and also can live in this ecosystem that we’ve been building around defining a Commander.”

Clouse said they’re trying to marry the past with their vision of the future. Their new stadium, scheduled to open in 2030, will resemble RFK Stadium, their home from 1961-96 — and the site of their greatest teams. All of this is purposeful.

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Washington will use block numbers on their jerseys, and have returned to three stripes down the middle of their helmets — white on the outside and gold in between. The Commanders will continue to use a gold W on their glossy burgundy helmets as well as on the black alternate ones. The black helmet will have two gold stripes with a burgundy one down the middle.

The burgundy helmets will feature a gold face mask.

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The uniforms will have numbers on the side of the jerseys and return to stripes down the side of the pants: burgundy and gold on the white pants; gold and white on the burgundy pants and burgundy and white on the gold pants.

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The new jerseys do not incorporate the word “Commanders” as other uniforms have in the past.

Clouse, who worked in the food industry from 1996 until 2024 when he joined the Commanders, said he learned during that time that “you do not change multiple things at the same time. You evolve very slowly and purposefully.”

He said they still have to convert some fans to their new identity.

“They may not agree with everything that we’re doing,” Clouse said, “but hopefully at least they’re understanding what we’re trying to accomplish.”

From NFL.com:

Washington is returning to the traditional helmets, jerseys and pants worn by the franchise since 1979, a look in which the club won three Super Bowls (XVII, XXII, XXVI) and four NFC titles. Save for the 2002 season — a campaign spent celebrating the club’s 70th anniversary by swapping out their usual home uniform for a throwback kit built around a spear motif — Washington’s identity has long existed in this appearance. The new ownership group, led by lifelong Washington fan Josh Harris, is returning the franchise to the aesthetic appearance their fans know best.

Speaking of the spear, that element is also returning to the team’s uniforms for the first time since 2003 in a fashion similar to the last time it appeared as an alternate uniform.

The Commanders’ new closet will include the “Hail Raiser” all-black alternate, featuring a low-gloss black helmet adorned by the club’s W logo with a spear interwoven through the center of the mark. The rest of the black uniform includes the same details: burgundy block numbers outlined in gold, a gold-and-burgundy pair of stripes seen on the cuffs of the jersey sleeves and down each side of the team’s black pants, and a triple stripe — in burgundy-gold-burgundy — down the center of the black helmet. The look produces a much-needed upgrade over the team’s previous all-black alternate first introduced with the club’s Commanders rebrand in 2022.

Commanders.com

PHOTOS | All in the details

The Washington Commanders put in serious effort to create a look that harkens back to their iconic look in the 1970s, 80 and 90s with their new uniforms. Scroll through to see the top shots of all the details in the uniforms.

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Commanders.com

5 things to know about Washington’s new uniforms

The “Hail Raiser”

• The only look with its own name in this launch, the “Hail Raiser” alternate uniform embodies the identity of the Commander: a leader of warriors. These all-black “alter egos” convey a stealth quality exhibited by elite units in battle. In training and on the biggest stage, leaders of warriors – not tethered to any one time or place – are disciplined, fierce, resilient and honorable figures.
• A brand-new spear W alternate logo highlights each side of the “Hail Raiser” helmet. One of the most striking angles of the “Hail Raiser” is straight-on, which puts the eyes of an opponent face-to-face with the helmet’s double spearheads.

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• A spear element was first incorporated into Washington’s uniform in the 1960s. It also had a fun starring role on a helmet in the early 2000s in celebration of the team’s 70th anniversary season.
• Talks around bringing back the spear in some fashion have been taking place over the last couple of years. Not only is at a potent weapon for a fighter, but its sharpest point – the spearhead or “tip of the spear” – symbolizes the top fighters, those who are unafraid to lead a mission. That energy defines a Commander.

Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)

NFL Draft Profile: Edge Rusher David Bailey

Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey is one of the highest rated pass rushers in this years draft. He’s projected to go as high as the second overall pick and seems like a lock to go in the top 10 at the very least. It would appear unlikely that he’s available for the Commanders at pick seven, but nothing is impossible in the draft. So what type of prospect is Bailey and what will he bring to whichever team drafts him? Let’s take a closer look.

At 6-foot-4, 251 pounds with nearly 34-inch arms, Bailey is a big, long, athletic edge rusher. He’s got excellent quickness, which is undoubtedly one of his biggest strengths. When he times the snap well, his first step is excellent and he backs it up with the speed to be a legitimate threat to most tackles on the edge.

While that speed threat to the edge is Bailey’s best trait, he does have other moves in his bag to pull out for some variety. One of his favorite moves is a spin move.

When he gets it right, that spin move is deadly and a very nice counter to his speed rush. I do feel he goes to it a little too often and there are times he doesn’t fully commit to it, but clearly he’s capable of getting it right and when he does, he’s an outstanding move to have. He does have some other moves too, with a variety of hand swipes and chops that he mixes in. What did stand out to me though, was that he misses with quite a lot of his chops and swipes. Often, he’s fast enough to the edge that it doesn’t really matter.

Commanders Roundtable

Why Dyami Brown, Treylon Burks Matter for 2026 Washington Commanders

At 26, with 79 career receptions for 1,011 yards and five touchdowns across five seasons, [Dyami Brown] is not a star. He’s a deep-threat complement who runs clean routes down the sideline, wins in contested situations, and can turn a 50-50 ball into a 60-yard gain when Daniels puts it in the air. In a David Blough offense with play-action built around Daniels’ arm talent, Brown is the vertical piece that makes defenses think twice about sitting in a single high safety.

Treylon Burks — The One With Everything Left to Prove

Six-foot-two, 225 pounds, built like a tight end with receiver speed. The comp everyone reached for was AJ Brown himself. It was never going to end well.

Injuries did most of the damage. Turf toe. Knee issues. A broken collarbone in camp last summer that sent him to injured reserve before the Titans cut him loose entirely. By the time Washington signed him to the practice squad in October 2025, Burks had 53 career catches in three-plus years with Tennessee. Not what a top-20 pick is supposed to look like.

Burks might actually be in the right situation. In eight games after getting elevated to the active roster, he caught 10 of 22 targets for 130 yards and a touchdown — a one-handed grab against the Broncos in overtime that’s the kind of play you make when you’ve been counted out, and you know it. He came back on a one-year deal worth up to $4 million before anyone else could get to him. That’s a player who sees something in this offense and wants to be part of it.

At 26 and finally healthy, Burks gives Blough a matchup problem that almost nobody in this league knows how to defend — a 225-pound receiver with legitimate route-running ability who can split out wide, line up in the slot, or work as an H-back off motion. Defenses that bracket McLaurin with a safety leave Burks in a one-on-one situation against a linebacker. That’s not a fair fight for the linebacker.

Commanders Wire

Commanders hold annual Topgolf event for NFL draft visits

This serves as the third consecutive year the Commanders have brought in prospects to compete against each other at Topgolf. It’s an informal night where players can show how well they can (or can’t) hit a golf ball. The Commanders, with the No. 7 pick in the 2026 draft next week, invited several players who will be considered potential picks in that area of the draft. They also invited some players projected to be drafted later.

[T]he Commanders selected Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in that 2024 draft and offensive lineman Josh Conerly with the 29th overall pick the following year in the 2025 draft. Both of whom attended their respective Topgolf night outing.

Podcasts & videos

Commanders president talks team’s new uniforms

Closer look at the Washington COMMANERS NEW 2022 UNIFORMS

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Bleeding Green Nation

Howie Roseman addresses Jalen Hurts reports

The Eagles GM stopped short of defending QB1 from the things reported recently

As the Eagles prepare for the NFL Draft, general manager Howie Roseman spoke to reporters about their approach to roster building on Tuesday. Among the many questions asked during the 27 minute press conference was one about their starting quarterback. Specifically, Roseman was asked about the recent report out of ESPN suggesting this is a make-or-break year for Jalen Hurts, as well as several other concerns from sources within the building.

“I have seen those reports — Bob [Lange] and our PR staff do a great job of showing us what we need to see.

I would say that we have some faults, one of them is not being direct and honest with our players and our conversations with our players. So, for us, if we have any issue with any of our players, we talk to them directly so, from my perspective, from Nick [Sirianni]’s perspective, from Jeffrey [Lurie]’s perspective, we’re not hiding behind anything. We will talk to our players directly and I think that it’s unfair — it’s unfair to have these articles written, but I understand it’s also what sells at this point.

So, yeah, I think it’s unfortunate.“

Roseman certainly said a lot of words, but still failed to directly address some of the character accusations thrown at Hurts in the article. The GM implied that the suggestions following the article that the team was trying to send a message to the QB through the media were incorrect, but did little to actually defend Hurts from the disparaging things that were written about him.

Blogging the Boys

Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, and Dane Brugler all have Dallas making the same draft day trade

We have a week and change to go until the 2026 NFL Draft begins and next week will certainly be more tense what with it finally arriving. In the lead up to that, NFL draft insiders, who have been working this circuit all along, are starting to empty the tank. They are offering everything that they have so that they have given this process their all.

On Wednesday three of the game’s top insiders released mock drafts. The three in question are Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, and Dane Brugler.

They all had the Dallas Cowboys trading up with the Cleveland Browns to number 6 overall to select Ohio State’s Sonny Styles.

Tuesday brought a report from Jordan Schultz where he said there is a belief that Dallas will move up, specifically to take a player who the New York Giants covet.

ESPN

Sources: Giants’ contract talks with Lawrence reach impasse

The New York Giants and star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II have reached an impasse on talks over a new contract extension, sources told NFL Network on Tuesday night.

The Giants have engaged with teams on a potential trade of Lawrence, which now will continue ahead of next week’s NFL draft.

News of the impasse between the sides comes on the same day Giants general manager Joe Schoen labeled conversations between the team and Lawrence’s agent as “productive.”

Lawrence’s contract is currently out of guaranteed money, and his $20 million salary places him 10th among interior defensive linemen this season. He requested a trade and has not been present for the start of the Giants’ first offseason workout program under Harbaugh.

Making a move would be difficult for the Giants given the state of their roster. They are currently thin at the defensive tackle position and have only two top-100 picks in this year’s draft.

From NFL.com:

[A] resolution is likely to come prior to next week’s 2026 NFL Draft, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday night, per sources.

New York has engaged with teams regarding a potential trade, and those talks will continue with the arrival of the draft likely marking a point in which the Giants have been able to fully gauge interest in Lawrence and can move forward with a decision, Rapoport reported.

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Dianna Russini resigns from Athletic following Mike Vrabel photos

NFL reporter Dianna Russini has resigned from The Athletic less than a week after published photos of her and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel at an Arizona resort prompted an internal investigation at the New York Times-owned sports outlet.

The New York Post last week published the photos of Vrabel and Russini at the Sedona hotel and said they were taken before the NFL league meeting that began in Phoenix on March 29.

After publication of the photos, Vrabel and Russini, who are both married, released statements to the Post downplaying what the photos depict.

Russini said they “don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day.”

Vrabel told the newspaper: “Those photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”

Sources had confirmed to ESPN that the Times’ digital outlet was investigating Russini’s conduct following a report from Front Office Sports.

Ginsberg said the review of Russini’s work will continue.

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