We've all seen the viral "2016" trend making the rounds on social media. It was a simpler time, a time when we knew little about what this world was about to become.
In some ways, our society has never recovered from what transpired that year — and by that, obviously, we mean the death of Harambe.
For the Washington Commanders, it was a different era altogether. How different? The team name has changed (twice). The home stadium's name has changed. The starting quarterback, the head coach, and literally every player and staff member on the roster except punter Tress Way have all changed.
And the less said about the owner, the better.
10 years ago, Washington football was on the rise... or so it felt
Everything was sunshine and rainbows for Washington, who had been one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2015 season. Kirk Cousins, after spending three years predominantly as a backup, broke out as the team unexpectedly went 9-7 and won the NFC East.
The campaign was highlighted by a 24-point comeback win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7, after which the quarterback famously screamed, "You like that?!"
Washington hosted Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round, losing 35-18. Still, the season was nothing but a resounding success for head coach Jay Gruden, offensive coordinator Sean McVay, general manager Scot McCloughan, and the entire organization.
The team wasn't satisfied there, either. Suddenly entering a window of contention, Washington bolstered its roster that offseason by adding one of the biggest prizes of free agency: first-team All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman from the Carolina Panthers. He would pair with rising star Bashaud Breeland to form one of the scariest defensive backfields in the league.
On the flip side of the coin, quarterback Robert Griffin III and running back Alfred Morris were both allowed to leave as free agents. This signaled a transition of eras, with both players having been essential to Washington's success in 2012 but no longer as productive. Cousins was the man now, and 2015 third-rounder Matt Jones was set to emerge as the backfield bell cow.
In the receiving game, Washington had gone out and taken TCU wideout Josh Doctson in the first round, joining an already impressive room of Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, and Jamison Crowder. Additionally, Jordan Reed was a prolific weapon at tight end, and Vernon Davis had been signed as insurance.
Add in an offensive line that featured Pro Bowler Trent Williams and promising 2015 first-rounder Brandon Scherff, and this offense was stacked. The defensive front left more to be desired, but linebacker Ryan Kerrigan could always be trusted to get after opposing quarterbacks, and Preston Smith was coming into his own on the edge.
Still, Washington had plenty of skeptics who chalked up the team's 2015 playoff berth to a cakewalk schedule and a weak division. Cousins was given a one-year "prove it" franchise tag, and he responded by throwing for nearly 5,000 yards as the team went above .500 for the second straight year. But a costly late-game interception in Week 17 against the New York Giants shut the burgundy and gold out of the playoffs.
It all unraveled from there.
Both Garcon and Jackson were inexplicably not retained. Cousins was given another franchise tag as the team was unwilling to commit to him long-term despite his Pro Bowl-level performance. McVay left for the Los Angeles Rams. McCloughan was ousted in a power struggle with Bruce Allen. Washington won seven games in 2017 and wouldn't finish .500 again until 2022.
Moral of the story: Dan Snyder ruins everything.