Let’s be real for a second. If you grew up in the 1980s or early 90s, the idea of an Eagles Commanders NFC Championship game felt like an absolute inevitability. It was the peak of the NFC East. You had Buddy Ryan’s "Body Bag" defense in Philly and Joe Gibbs’ legendary three-ring dynasty in D.C. They hated each other. The fans hated each other. The hits were late, the turf at Veterans Stadium was basically green-painted concrete, and every game felt like a heavyweight fight.
Yet, here we are in 2026, and these two franchises have still never met with a Super Bowl berth on the line.
It’s one of the weirdest statistical anomalies in professional football. These teams have played each other over 180 times since 1934. They've traded punches in the regular season twice a year for decades. They’ve even met in the Wild Card round—most notably in January 1991. But the big one? The one for the George Halas Trophy? It remains the "White Whale" of the I-95 corridor.
Why we’ve never seen an Eagles Commanders NFC Championship
Timing is everything in the NFL. Honestly, the biggest reason we haven't seen this matchup is that these two teams rarely peak at the exact same moment.
Think back to the early 2000s. Andy Reid had the Eagles in four straight NFC Championship games from 2001 to 2004. They were the class of the conference. But during that same stretch, the Commanders (then the Redskins) were a mess. They were cycling through coaches like Steve Spurrier and struggling to find any kind of identity. When Philly was elite, Washington was rebuilding. When Joe Gibbs returned for his second stint and got D.C. back to the playoffs in 2005 and 2007, the Eagles were starting to feel the friction of the post-Terrell Owens era.
It's basically a game of ships passing in the night.
Then you look at 2017. The Eagles went on that magical "underdog" run with Nick Foles to win Super Bowl LII. Washington finished 7-9 that year. By the time the Commanders started building a formidable defensive front with guys like Chase Young and Jonathan Allen, the Eagles were transitioning from the Doug Pederson era to Nick Sirianni.
The 1990 Season: The closest we ever got
If you want to talk about the "Almost Bowl," you have to look at 1990. This was the year of the infamous "Body Bag Game" on Monday Night Football. The Eagles destroyed Washington so badly that the Commanders ended up playing a running back at quarterback because everyone else was injured.
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When they met again in the Wild Card round that same season, Washington got their revenge, winning 20-6 at the Vet. If the brackets had broken differently and both teams had survived the divisional round, we would have had an all-NFC East championship. Instead, the Giants and 49ers played one of the most brutal title games in history, and the dream of a Philly-Washington title fight died.
The Jayden Daniels and Jalen Hurts Era: Is the wait finally over?
Everything changed recently. You can feel the energy shift.
With Jayden Daniels exploding onto the scene in D.C., the Commanders finally have the "it" factor they’ve lacked since RGIII’s rookie year. He's dynamic. He’s poised. He makes throws that look like they're coming out of a video game. On the other side, Jalen Hurts has established himself as the stoic leader of a perennial contender.
For an Eagles Commanders NFC Championship to happen, both teams need a top-two seed. That’s the reality of the modern NFL playoff structure. You rarely see two teams from the same division meet in the title game unless they both dominate the regular season.
- Quarterback Stability: For the first time in twenty years, both teams have "The Guy."
- Coaching Philosophy: Dan Quinn brought a defensive toughness to Washington that mirrors the "Philly tough" mentality.
- Roster Depth: Both Howie Roseman and Adam Peters have proven they are aggressive in the trade market.
The rivalry is spicy again. You’ve got Jahan Dotson getting traded from Washington to Philly. You’ve got Saquon Barkley choosing the Eagles over other suitors. The narrative is there. The talent is there. The only thing missing is the bracket alignment.
Misconceptions about the NFC East in the playoffs
People often assume division rivals meet in the playoffs all the time. They don't. Since the 1970 merger, division rivals have met in the NFC Championship game only a handful of times.
The most famous example is probably the 1980 season when the Eagles beat the Cowboys to go to their first Super Bowl. It happened again with the 49ers and Rams in 1989, and more recently with the Seahawks and 49ers in 2013. But it's rare. It requires a level of divisional dominance that usually results in teams knocking each other out earlier in the tournament.
Historically, the Commanders have three Super Bowl titles and the Eagles have one. Washington’s rings all came under Joe Gibbs, while the Eagles' success has been spread across the Dick Vermeil, Andy Reid, and Doug Pederson eras.
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The "Lombardi Trophy" count is a point of major contention in the stands. Washington fans will always point to the three trophies in the case. Eagles fans will point to the fact that Washington hasn't been a serious Super Bowl threat since the early 90s. This friction is exactly what would make a championship game between them so volatile.
What it would mean for the I-95 corridor
Imagine the atmosphere.
Lincoln Financial Field or Northwest Stadium. It wouldn't matter. The tickets would be the most expensive in the history of either franchise. You're talking about two fanbases that are arguably the most passionate—and let's be honest, the most aggressive—in the country.
The logistical nightmare of thousands of Philly fans driving down I-95 to Landover, or D.C. fans heading up to Broad Street, is enough to make state troopers sweat. It’s more than a game. It's a territorial dispute.
I talked to a season ticket holder recently who said he’d "sell his car" just to sit in the upper deck for a game like this. That's not hyperbole. In this part of the country, football is a cultural identity.
The tactical matchup: Strength on strength
If this game were to happen tomorrow, the chess match would be fascinating.
The Eagles rely on a massive, punishing offensive line and a vertical passing game. They want to bully you. They want to use the "Tush Push" to demoralize your defensive line.
The Commanders, under their new regime, have pivoted toward a high-speed, creative offense that utilizes Jayden Daniels' mobility to stress the edges of the defense. They aren't trying to out-muscle you as much as they are trying to out-angle you.
How does a veteran like Darius Slay handle the speed of Terry McLaurin in a high-stakes environment? How does the Commanders' rebuilt secondary deal with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith? These are the questions that keep defensive coordinators awake.
Moving toward a collision course
So, how do we actually get there?
First, the Commanders have to prove that their recent resurgence isn't a fluke. We've seen flashes from them before (2012, 2015, 2020) that fizzled out quickly. Consistency is the name of the game. For the Eagles, it's about maintaining their window. NFL windows close faster than you think. Injuries, salary cap hell, and coaching turnover can ruin a "dynasty" before it even starts.
If both teams can stay healthy and keep their young core together, the 2026 and 2027 seasons represent the best chance we've ever had to see this matchup.
Actionable steps for fans and analysts:
- Monitor the Secondary Market: If both teams are sitting at 10+ wins by December, expect playoff ticket prices to jump 40% in anticipation of a home-field advantage battle.
- Watch the Trenches: Pay attention to the health of the offensive lines. Both teams' schemes fall apart if the "big men" aren't healthy, which has been the Achilles' heel for both franchises in past playoff exits.
- Track the Draft Capital: The Commanders still have a slight edge in future assets, which they’ll need to use to bolster a defense that still gives up too many big plays.
- Embrace the Rivalry: Don't let the "national media" tell you this isn't a top-tier rivalry. It's built on decades of genuine dislike and proximity.
The Eagles Commanders NFC Championship is the game the NFL needs. It’s the game the fans deserve. After nearly a century of playing each other, it’s time to finally settle the score on the biggest stage in the NFC.
Keep an eye on the injury reports and the divisional standings. The path is clearing, and for the first time in a long time, both teams are running toward each other at full speed. This isn't just about a trophy anymore; it's about which city gets to claim dominance over the East for the next decade.
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Stay tuned to the local beat writers for updates on roster moves as we approach the trade deadline. The next big acquisition could be the piece that finally makes this dream matchup a reality.