Stephen A. Smith (Stephen Smith) on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A wild new stadium proposal for the Washington Commanders

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Joanne Coley | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 10:00 AM ET

A recent tweet from former President Donald Trump has sparked fresh conversation about the future home of the Washington Commanders. Trump, long vocal about his disdain for the Commanders’ name, has taken things a step further, threatening to block the team’s new stadium deal unless it reverts to the original “Washington Redskins” name.

Now, people across the sports world are weighing in, and—as usual—Stephen A. Smith decided to stir the pot on a recent episode of First Take. The ESPN personality floated a suggestion about the Commanders’ future home that raised more than a few eyebrows.

Smith proposed that Washington and the Baltimore Ravens share a stadium somewhere in the state of Maryland. “I’ve always been an advocate, a strong advocate, I’ve always wanted a stadium in the state of Maryland that the Ravens and Washington Commanders could share,” Smith said.

: Stephen A. Smith suggests that the Commanders and Ravens should share a stadium.

"I've always wanted a stadium in the state of Maryland that the Ravens and the Washington Commanders could share."

That would be an over hour+ drive for fans pic.twitter.com/9bpcgpDipF
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 21, 2025

It’s a bold take, especially considering that such a setup would leave some fans with an hour-plus commute on game days. But Smith says the idea makes financial sense for the state. “With a lot of employment emanating from D.C., you have a minimum of 17 to 18 weeks where you’ve got games there, plus playoff games, plus events in the offseason,” he added.

Another reason behind the stadium pitch? Avoiding the complexities of dealing with the federal government. “It’s the state of Maryland that you have to deal with instead of this kind of nonsense,” Smith said, referring to political involvement that could delay or derail a stadium deal in D.C.

Currently, only four NFL teams share stadiums: the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium, and the New York Giants and New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

Still, the Ravens and Commanders have deeply loyal and distinct fan bases. A shared stadium might make logistical and financial sense on paper, but it’s a hard sell for two franchises with separate identities and long-standing rivalries.