Commanders schedule 2024: Every game on national TV this season

Things are finally looking up for the Washington Commanders after decades of perennial misery. The franchise looks almost unrecognizable from the one that stumbled into the No. 2 overall selection after another woeful campaign in 2023. That said, it's going to be a while yet before this storied organization becomes a primetime hotspot once again.

Some older fans will remember those fond days when Washington was a frequent flyer annually on national television. Dan Snyder's incompetence and the team's dwindling reputation made for a bad football product and a toxic environment that wasn't perceived in a great light around the league. Aside from the token primetime gesture that every team receives at some stage during the season, the Commanders have been rightfully overlooked in recent years.

Commanders fed primetime scraps once again in 2024

While there is a significant amount of positivity around the building under Josh Harris' ownership and thanks to the sterling work done by Adam Peters this offseason, it wasn't enough to sway the TV companies and streaming services who are currently shelling out billions for the right to show NFL games. They have two primetime games, which doesn't come as a great surprise all things considered.

Washington will go under the glaring spotlight in Week 3 at the Cincinnati Bengals and Week 11 against the Philadelphia Eagles. This is just two games, but it represents an opportunity for the Commanders to show the NFL world that they are heading in a positive direction under head coach Dan Quinn and with a quarterback - Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels - who can become the catalyst behind brighter days in the nation's capital.

It's disappointing that the Commanders are not featured more in primetime, but it's not surprising. Despite being in such a big market, networks and other licensed broadcasters are taking the wait-and-see approach. Of course, there's always a chance Washington has a contest flexed to the big stage if Quinn has his squad in the thick of postseason consideration sooner than anticipated. Whether that happens or not is another matter.

This was always going to be a gradual pursuit back to relevancy for the Commanders. The league is a better place when Washington is contending for honors. Its historical significance to the NFL cannot be questioned, so it won't be long before the primetime games are plentiful when they resume their rightful place at the proverbial top table.

When that'll be is anyone's guess, but we should get a better feel for how long this rebuild is going to take during what promises to be an enthralling 2024 season. Until then, primetime can wait.