Washington is making a noticeable adjustment heading into the 2026 season, and it starts with how Dan Quinn handles leadership on the roster.
Quinn said Monday in his press conference that he is changing the captaincy process he used during his first two seasons as Commanders head coach. Instead of naming captains on a week-by-week basis, he said he will now go with season-long captains for offense, defense and special teams.
The offensive captains are veteran wide receiver Terry McLaurin and third-year quarterback Jayden Daniels. On defense, the Commanders will be represented by veteran linebacker Frankie Luvu, who is entering his third season in Washington, along with long-time special teams ace and now-starting safety Jeremy Reaves. Quinn also said punter Tress Way, the player with the most time in Washington, will serve as the special teams unit’s captain.
That is a departure from what Quinn did in 2024 and 2025, when he typically met with the media on Fridays, gave injury updates, and announced an offensive, defensive and special teams captain for that week’s game.
Quinn said the team voted to name these season-long captains. He added that one more captain will still be named on Friday for each game. The weekly spot, he said, gives players a chance to be recognized for productive play and leadership.
He also framed the move as a way to elevate players already viewed inside the building as vocal, focused leaders. As Quinn put it, having the team vote for them tells players, ‘you vote for the guys you feel like are the best leaders and the guys you are willing to follow.’ He said that approach also adds accountability because the players who choose the leaders are expected to follow them.
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