Commanders Not Buying Into 2025 Expectation Hype

The Washington Commanders will begin the 2025 season with huge expectations after what the franchise accomplished last year, reaching the NFC Championship game.

With the expected improvement of Jayden Daniels, coupled with the offseason signings of Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil, some have the Commanders as Super Bowl contenders.

Is that sort of expectation too high? Considering the offseason, no, but when the expectations are like that, sometimes the pressure can overwhelm a team.

But for tight end Zach Ertz, Washington isn't buying into any 2025 hype.

“I think the expectations of this team do not impact what goes on in the building,” Ertz said. “Last year, not many people chose us to be successful, and this year, maybe too many people are choosing us to be successful.

"For me, the message is how can we get better? If we're the same team we were last year, we've let ourselves down enormously. I've been on really talented teams. I think this is a talented team, but at the end of the day, talent really doesn't win you games in this league. For us, it's about how can we become better as a unit offensively, defensive, special teams, and better as a team.”

The outside perception of the Commanders in 2025 varies, so do the expectations.

Some think a regression is coming, with the Commanders perhaps dropping a couple of games, while others think that with Daniels improving, a Super Bowl is a genuine aspiration.

In truth, if the Commanders can put together a similar sort of season to last year, the franchise will be in good shape. Yes, a Super Bowl win would be perfect, but things rarely go smoothly in the NFL.

The outside expectations are the highest they've been in recent memory, but it is clear the noise-canceling headphones are on for Washington. It wants no part of the hype train that is about to leave the station.