5 sustainable positives from Commanders' sensational 4-1 start in 2024

Recognizing the past while embracing the future

Former Washington Commanders players and team legends turned away in their droves under Dan Snyder's incompetent ownership spanning more than two decades. Nobody wanted to be associated with the organization, least of all those who poured blood, sweat, and tears into making this storied franchise great once upon a time. That is thankfully changing under Josh Harris.

The Commanders are making a concerted effort to recognize the past while embracing the future. They've reached out to legendary figures of days gone by and made them feel part of something special. The likes of Darrell Green and Doug Williams have been at the forefront, with Joe Gibbs also giving this new era his respected approval on several occasions.

This might not seem like much, but having a unified organization all pulling in the same direction is something that hasn't been seen in Washington for a generation. There was a rapid descent to disenchantment previously, which is disintegrating with every win on the field and every positive development behind the scenes.

The stadium plans. The Sean Taylor statue. The renovations to the practice facility and Northwest Stadium. It's all coming together slowly. Having the old guard around to support it only enhances the community feel around the Commanders right now. Long may it continue.

Commanders' culture shift

Ron Rivera seemed pleased with the culture he'd built during his four years as head coach. Even after he was fired, the former linebacker remained adamant this was a positive he left behind. However, one only has to look at the comments from players in the wake of his departure - and during the season - to see this wasn't the case.

The Commanders looked to solve that as a matter of urgency this offseason. They found the right blend of youth and experience after gutting the roster. Dan Quinn's notorious culture building made him the perfect head coach for the early stages of this substantial rebuild.

Washington's locker room atmosphere is night and day compared to the Rivera years. You could sense it during the summer with a vibrant, professional training camp put together with purpose and precision. This has transitioned to the regular season to further unify this unit to quickly become the league's most surprising story in 2024.

Changing the culture was imperative. The franchise descended into toxicity under the previous owner. But almost everyone around the NFL is starting to look at the Commanders differently with Josh Harris' ownership group leading the charge.

Whether the Commanders continue their remarkable start to the campaign or not, having a strong culture can be sustained and enhanced in the coming years.