An Eagles Fan Interviews Commanders Fans
We talk Commanders past, present, future and what it's like growing up outside of Philly as Washington fans
In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Jim Carrey’s character, Joel, undergoes a procedure to have the memories of his ex-girlfriend erased from his mind one by one. The company he works with to do the procedure slowly combs through his mind, excavating both memories and deleting them. In my case, the procedure erasing my memories is the Eagles’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The shutout victory eradicated every bad moment from the Eagles’ 3-game losing streak, including an offense that’s harder to watch than the movie Morbius and the recent passing of our king of optimism, the Positivity Rabbit (rest easy, sweet prince).
Beating the Raiders gives you the kind of irrational confidence you get from things like waking up early or throwing a Nerf Vortex football. The game had real “Monstars Against Tune Squad in Act One of Space Jam” type energy. It’s unsustainable to fan the flames of a dumpster fire, but at least it gives off a little heat. And a little heat is exactly what this team needs with three games left until the playoffs.
The Birds are hoping to keep the good vibes going against their division “rivals” and team with no good nickname, the 4-10 Washington Commanders (the Commies? the Manders? the Coms?). This is the first matchup between these teams since last season’s NFC Championship Game, when the Eagles beat down the Coms 55-23.
I say “rivals” because for most of my lifetime, the Commanders/Skins/Washington Football Team and the Eagles haven’t often been good at the same time. Washington is a legendary NFL franchise that boasts three Super Bowl championships in their team’s history. But for most of the 2000s, former Washington owner (and Guinness World Record holder for being the world’s biggest piece of shit) Dan Snyder sank the franchise with a rotating cast of head coaches and quarterbacks and a perpetually toxic environment. Since 2000, the Birds are 32-19 against the Commanders/Skins/Washington Football Team.
When Dan Snyder was forced to sell the team two years ago, hope finally arrived in Washington under new owner (and current owner of the Philadelphia 76ers) Josh Harris. In 2024, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was a sensation, leading Washington to a 12-5 record. Unfortunately, this year hasn’t gone as planned with the injury bug decimating Washington’s roster. Daniels is out for this game, and the Commanders will once again turn to their backup quarterback and former Eagles legend (aka he backed up Jalen Hurts for one year) Marcus Mariota.
To get ready for the game, I interviewed my buddies John and Tommy Harrington. Despite growing up outside of Philadelphia, the Harrington Brothers have been diehard Commanders fans for their entire lives. Names like London Fletcher, Santana Moss, and Clinton Portis mean a lot to them.
We get ready for this weekend’s game by talking about the current state of the Manders (?), how they’re feeling about the future of the franchise, and what it was like growing up outside of Philly as a Commanders/Skins/Washington Football team fan.
How did you become Commanders fans?
TOMMY: Well, it started because our dad was actually a Redskins fan. We grew up in the Virginia area, and he blessed us with this fanhood. But we quickly moved to Philadelphia after I was born, when I was around 6 years old. Because the internet didn’t exist yet or kind of just sucked, he couldn’t keep up with the Skins anymore, and he didn’t like Dan Snyder. He decided, you know what fuck it, I’m gonna be an Eagles fan now. And me and Johnny just kept going on with the Skins. It didn’t really sit well with us to go to another NFC team. You kinda have to hand it to him for saying, “This team fucking sucks, I’m just gonna be an Eagles fan now.” But I don’t think he really understood that once you go to public school and tell everyone you’re a Skins fan, you kinda look like a huge bitch if you just show up one day and say “I’m actually an Eagles fan.” So yeah, it’s a curse from our dad.
Did you get a lot of shit from Eagles fans?
TOMMY: Yeah, I mean, it’s what you’d imagine. Usually, I could just go back to old faithful “three rings!” and that was always met with “were you alive for any of them,” and then it was kind of a stalemate. In 2017, things took an ugly turn. You guys actually got pretty competent. Everyone suddenly loved Howie Roseman, even though I know you guys used to hate him. I remember, don’t think I forgot you guys thought he was a dumb ass, and now he’s a savant. I definitely get more shit now than I did as a kid. And last season didn’t help, having a great season just to end up getting our asses kicked 55-23. I think there’s a little bit of rent-free on your side though, because Eagles fans actually can’t forget that 55-23 score. I actually think most Eagles fans know that score and don’t know the score of the Super Bowl. I’d be willing to bet on that, actually.
I forgot the score of that NFC Championship Game.
JOHN: I also forgot the score, but I do remember the Eagles scoring over 50 points. I also remember the Eagles fan who screamed “belt to ass! belt to ass!” to me on the Broad Street line after the game all the way to our stop.
That’s hilarious.
JOHN: Strangely enough, there were things about living in Pennsylvania that made it easier to continue being a Redskins fan despite being surrounded by Eagles fans. When I went to college at Dickinson in Central Pennsylvania (go Devils), there were a couple of dormitories that the team stayed in, and the practice fields on campus were actually used by the Skins during their heyday for training camp. Because of that, some of the bars downtown were actual Skins bars, so you could go there on Sunday and there would be Skins fans there watching the game.
And then after graduating from college and moving into the city, when I lived in South Philly, there was an actual Washington bar called the Woolly Mammoth right near Jim’s Cheesesteak. You could go on any given Sunday. On the ground floor, it was the Eagles bar, but on the second floor, it was a Skins bar. You’d spend the first half cheering for the Skins, and the second half drowning your sorrows and commiserating with other fans. Seeing games at Lincoln Financial Field has made me a stronger Commanders fan now. Just the tradition of going there and wearing gear and getting yelled at and feeling uncomfortable and knowing that you have a target on your back. There’s something about that that actually makes you feel more connected to your team.
So this is year two of the post-Dan Snyder shit show. How are you feeling about the Adam Peters-Dan Quinn era?
JOHN: It’s like that quote that goes, “Everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the face.” We evidently had a plan last season because we got to the NFC Championship Game. But you see what happens when you get embarrassed in that game. You see what happens when your best wide receiver holds out for the entire summer and doesn’t practice with the team. You see what happens when your critical pieces to that roster leave in free agency. You see what happens when your best players get season-ending injuries, and it shows how little depth you have. You see what happens when your kicker position is like a carousel. You just change kickers every week, going from one mediocre option to the next, and how many games you lose in the process. I think this season was one to kind of tuck to the side and move past and try to learn from you know.
I have confidence and trust in (head coach) DQ and (general manager) Adam Peters. I believe that they want to win, and I believe they’ve got a lot of the right pieces. But I think they saw how ill-prepared they are for what it really takes to win a championship. I mean, they’re a shell of what they looked like last year. You gotta have faith, and you gotta have confidence, and you gotta remind yourself that those same people were the ones that got us there, and they’re the same people who’re gonna get us back.
TOMMY: I’m more skeptical of Adam Peters the most. I mean, if you really look at it, he basically only landed Jayden Daniels. Aside from that, I’m not really seeing any draft pick whatsoever pan out. Mikey Sainristil still had some flashes last year. I’d say he looks better on the outside. And then in this past draft, we drafted fucking loser Josh Conerly. He sucks. After getting Laremy Tunsil, it actually didn’t really make that much sense. It really hurts when you see (Patriots running back) Treyveon Henderson tear shit up, and they passed on him for that fat guy from Oregon.
As for Dan Quinn, I think that maybe the cracks are starting to show as to why we got the worst head coach available. He’s a players’ coach. He’s a “good job guys,” rah-rah type of person. I’d say he’s definitely better suited as a defensive coordinator. I’m not completely sold on either of them. Last year, if you asked me this question, I would say I’m 100,000% sold. So yeah, I mean, who knows. It’s gonna be a big off-season.
So how would you say you guys are feeling about the future? What do you think the ‘manders need to take the next step?
JOHN: Unfortunately, I don’t think that this is gonna be like a flip of the switch, get right back into gear, and run it back in 2026 kind of thing. I think the lesson learned is that this is gonna take some time. You’re gonna have to do the right things the right way, and you’re gonna have to be patient to build something sustainable long-term.
That means acknowledging that you have no draft capital this year and making some sacrifices to try to get some more draft picks. Even if it means sacrificing your high draft pick position to get more picks. It means finding a true defensive coordinator so that your head coach doesn’t need to step in and take over the defense in the middle of the season. It means looking at your key pieces and structuring their contracts so that you can succeed long-term without having people hold out and put strain on the team to make up for their absence.
It means not depending on veteran free agent pick-ups to fill gaps. It’s trying to grow young talent that shows promise and has high potential, and give them the reps and the trust and the confidence to actually develop themselves into starters. They just need to prioritize making the right decisions over a longer period of time to set themselves up for success.
TOMMY: I think they need to really rock it in free agency again, like they did in the first year. First year, they built a really strong roster, basically of all free agents. A few of those guys walked, and they hoped to fill some of those holes in the draft. We didn’t do that because we drafted like shit. Those guys aren’t developing at all, so it’s gonna be a lot of free agents, whether that’s going for Aiyuk, Alec Pierce. I think Romeo Doubs is also gonna be a free agent. George Pickens is a free agent, but I don’t think they have the balls for a guy like that. But I’d be so down for that. Need a little shiesty action in the DMV. I think he’d fit in just fine.
I know that my brother says we should trade back, but that’s bullshit. You draft the best player available. We tanked this fucking season. Cash in that prize and get a low, low, low pick. Get a receiver. Do not get an edge, so many teams have a star edge, and the team fucking sucks. Look at the Raiders, look at the Browns. All they can do is hang their hat on their fucking edge.
So what if they do trade back in the draft next year? Who do you want them to grab?
JOHN: If we do trade back, I would really want them to prioritize continuing to build out depth on the offensive line because we know we need to protect Jayden, no exceptions. We also saw Jacory “Bill” Croskey Merritt have a little bit of a roller coaster, some awesome games, and some duds. I think we need a true RB1, not a seventh-round draft pick. I’d love to get Jeremiyah Love in the mix. Defense needs a lot of help. A lot of it is the age of the standard player on that side of the ball, and I think we all know we need an edge rusher.
We don’t have a clear starter at safety. No one that’s really got a presence, and I don’t think it would hurt to get some younger linebackers in the mix. So yeah, you can see why having some extra draft picks might be handy. It’d be great to get some stability at the kicker position. There’s a guy named Stone Harrington that I think they should look into.
How are you guys feeling about the game on Saturday? What scares you and what doesn’t scare you about this Eagles team?
Tommy: I’m feeling pretty good. You know we’ve seen stranger things happen. We’ve seen Heinke beat Jalen Hurts in 2022. So yeah, anything could happen. But if I’m being realistic, the Eagles’ roster is completely loaded, and our secondary is horrible, our defense is horrible. We obviously have Marcus Mariota(aaah) at the helm. Our running back is either Chris Rodriguez, Jeremy McNichols, or Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who I think got a little bit too gassed up and maybe a little bit two over his skis in terms of his ability. We probably should’ve just kept Brian Robinson. I don’t think anyone foresaw us having to take Austen Ekeler out back like Old Yeller two games into the season.
What doesn’t scare me is that the head coach and the offensive coordinator for the Eagles seem very dysfunctional. Overall, I’m not really scared because if we lose, that’s just a better draft position. If we win, I can finally tell my friends to shut the fuck up. So honestly, I can’t really lose this game. Only you can lose this game. This is the worst Commanders team I’ve seen in five years, probably, and they haven’t even been the Commanders for that long.
JOHN: I’m not really that scared to be honest with you, because I stopped caring a long time ago about what happens this season. So I wouldn’t say like I’m scared. Do I think that you have a real chance to beat us? Ofcourse, I mean I’d be stupid to say no. The last time I remember you guys playing us, you whooped our ass. So it’s like very fresh in the memory. I think what scares me is that you actually have a very talented roster, like you’ve got some incredibly good players. What doesn’t scare me is that you guys don’t know how to use them, and your games are incredibly boring to watch.
Who’s your favorite Commanders player of all time?
JOHN: Sean Taylor.
TOMMY: RT on Sean Taylor.
Who’s your least favorite Eagle of all time?
JOHN: Nick Sirianni.
TOMMY: Probably Reed Blankenship. I might be the only person on earth who hates Reed Blankenship.
JOHN: How about our least favorite Commander and favorite Eagle?
TOMMY: Yeah, why paint me in a negative light? I do like some Eagles, even current Eagles.
Ok, who’s your favorite Eagle and least favorite Commander?
TOMMY: Least favorite commander, Terry McLaurin. That old, greedy bastard that nuked the season.
JOHN: Favorite Eagle? Zach Ertz. It’s been nothing short of a privilege to have him on our squad in the twilight of his phenomenal career.
Least favorite commander, I’m gonna go with Jonathan Allen. Don’t even get me started. “Tired of this shit?” We were tired of you.
TOMMY: Disagree.
JOHN: Good riddance. He lost me when he fought with my guy (Daron) Payne.
TOMMY: That was two bros going at it. It was all love. Passion!
JOHN: Ok, as YOUR bro, you make a good point. I will concede here and spare him the shade. My runner-up was gonna be Albert Haynesworth, and I don’t think either of you needs an explanation as to why.
We will forgive him for the player stomp because it was a Cowboy. What we cannot forgive is the ridiculous stomp on our cap space that set us back literal years.
If you had 30 seconds with Dan Snyder, what would you say to him?
JOHN: Thanks for taking us hostage for decades, you selfish, greedy fuck. Years we’ll never get back. Then probably cap it off with double birds, and I hope your yacht sinks.
TOMMY: I don’t think I’d be able to stop myself from strangling him. Hopefully, his yacht’s in international waters.
Tommy, any comment on offering me a first-round pick for Jacory Croskey-Merritt early in the season in our fantasy league?
TOMMY: And what does it say about you that you turned it down! You Billieved!