Founded 1987 Team colors Red, Blue, White | Head coach Mike Hohensee | |
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Afl 1987 denver dynamite at washington commandos
The Washington Commandos were an Arena football team based in Fairfax, Virginia. The Commandos were founded in 1987 and were an inaugural member of the Arena Football League (AFL), and were based in Landover, Maryland. The team then became known as the Maryland Commandos after the club returned in 1989 season after not playing during the 1988 season. Following the 1989 season, the Commandos moved to Fairfax, Virginia, where they once again became known as the Washington Commandos. The team never achieved much success at either of its locations, winning a total of four games in three seasons, including a winless 1989 season.
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Afl 1990 detroit drive at washington commandos
Inaugural season (1987)
The Commandos had the honor of playing in the first AFL regular season game on June 19, 1987, losing to the Pittsburgh Gladiators 46-48 at the Civic Arena. The Commandos picked up their first win in franchise history the following week, when they defeated the Denver Dynamite, by a score of 36-20 in their home opener. The Commandos finished the season with a 2-4 record, a disappointment, but the team was in every game except one, losing 3 games by a total of 6 points.
Move to Maryland (1989)
After a one-year hiatus, they returned to play in 1989 and operated as the "Maryland Commandos". The team went 0-4 in the short abbreviated 'travelin' season of 1989. The Commandos coaching staff consisted of Ray Willsey, Mike Hohensee, Mike Dailey, Jerry Kurz and Rich Salzer. Hohensee, Dailey and Kurz would all go on to become members of the Arena Football Hall of Fame.
Return to Washington (1990)
The team returned to the Washington name for their final season in 1990. They were coached by Hohensee, who had been promoted from his assistant position. The Commandos started the season 0-3.
In 1987 and 1989, the team played its home games at the Capital Centre (later known as USAir Arena) in Landover, Maryland. For the 1990 season the team was based at the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
Return of the AFL in Washington
In 1999, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder announced that he would bring an expansion team to DC to be called the "Washington Warriors". But after a ten year wait and because of the AFL's canceling its season in 2009, that never materialized.
On February 10, 2016, it was announced that Ted Leonsis of Monumental Sports, owner of the NBA's Washington Wizards, WNBA's Washington Mystics and the NHL's Washington Capitals was close to landing an expansion franchise to play at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC in 2017. The announcement was made official by AFL commissioner Scott Butera on March 10, 2016. It will be the first time since 1990 since the Commandos played in the DC area. On July 14, 2016, the team name was revealed as the Washington Valor. The AFL's website shows that the Valor's first game will be on April 7, 2017 in the Verizon Center against the Baltimore Brigade, another AFL expansion team also owned by Leonsis' Monumental Sports.
All-Arena players
The following Commandos players were named to All-Arena Teams:
Head coaches
Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 1990 Arena Football League season.
Season-by-season results
Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.