WASHINGTON COMMANDERS LAUNCH “BEYOND THE FIELD” — A GROUNDBREAKING MENTORSHIP MOVEMENT REDEFINING LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL

In a bold and unprecedented move, the Washington Commanders have made history by becoming the first NFL franchise to launch a dedicated post-career mentorship program for players transitioning out of professional football. The initiative, titled

“Beyond the Field,” aims to empower former athletes with the tools, mindset, and support needed to succeed in life long after their final snap.

The program connects former Commanders players with

leadership training, business mentorship, and community engagement projects, offering them a roadmap to redefine purpose beyond athletic glory. It’s not about leaving the game behind — it’s about taking the lessons learned on the field and applying them to new arenas of life.

“Being a Commander doesn’t end when you leave the field. Leadership isn’t a position — it’s a purpose. ‘Beyond the Field’ is about building men who keep winning, no matter where life takes them,

” the team’s leadership shared in a powerful joint statement.

In collaboration with top executives, entrepreneurs, and former NFL greats, Beyond the Field introduces participants to personalized mentorship tracks focused on

business innovation, mental health, and community leadership. The program is designed not only to inspire confidence but to create a ripple effect of impact — transforming ex-athletes into mentors, creators, and role models in their own right.

For decades, one of the NFL’s most persistent challenges has been supporting players through the difficult transition from professional sports to everyday life. The Commanders’ new initiative stands as a

solution-driven model, blending compassion with structure and purpose.

The program will also include quarterly workshops and local outreach projects, ensuring that each participant remains engaged in meaningful work — both personally and within the community.

By redefining what it means to be part of a team, the Washington Commanders are proving that leadership doesn’t end when the lights fade. It evolves.

And in the words that now define the heart of this initiative:

“Being a Commander doesn’t end when you leave the field. Leadership isn’t a position — it’s a purpose.”

With Beyond the Field, Washington isn’t just building better players —

they’re building better men.

Packers just showed Raiders how to shut down Commanders in Week 3

Las Vegas should have been watching Thursday Night Football closely.

The Las Vegas Raiders have a difficult matchup looming in Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season. They will take on the Los Angeles Chargers at home on Monday Night Football, who are fresh off a 27-21 defeat of the AFC's Goliath, the Kansas City Chiefs.

But it doesn't hurt to look ahead, as the Raiders will have to travel back to the East Coast in Week 3 to take on the Washington Commanders. Last season, the Commanders shocked the league by ascending all the way from a 4-13 record the year before to the NFC Championship Game.

Pete Carroll and Co. are surely taking things one game at a time, and all eyes should be on the Chargers right now. But when they get around to watching the film from Thursday Night Football between the Commanders and Green Bay Packers, they'll see an obvious blueprint to follow.

Raiders should model their Commanders strategy after the Packers

Commanders' offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has a reputation for being a coach who is easy to figure out with time. His stint as the Arizona Cardinals' head coach proved this, as the team was never able to maintain its early success.

Green Bay seemed like they got a bead on exactly how to stop the Commanders as early as Thursday night's Week 2 game, and the Raiders must follow their game plan. Simply, they should hang back in a zone and dare the Commanders to run the ball while preventing them from going uptempo.

Washington's running back duo of Austin Ekeler and Bill Croskey-Merritt struggled tremendously to find holes and fight for yardage, which didn't exactly keep the Packers' defense honest. They just sat back and prevented the Commanders from taking the top off the defense, and Kingsbury didn't adjust

Patrick Graham is one of the savviest defensive coordinators in the league as well, so he will be able to strategically use substitutions to slow down the Commanders' uptempo offense. Putting pressure on Daniels like the Packers did will force him into sacks and incompletions, also hurting their tempo.

Through the first three quarters of the contest, Kingsbury's unit had mustered just 3 points and 112 total yards of offense. Their 2.7 yards per play were incredibly low, and Daniels was averaging just 2.5 yards per pass. Plus, Micah Parsons was wreaking havoc, and Maxx Crosby can do the same.

Obviously, each matchup is different and has moving pieces that shift the dynamic. But Green Bay clearly showed how to slow down Washington's offense on Thursday, and Kingsbury proved that he isn't keen on making adjustments. The Raiders can easily take advantage of this in Week 3.