The Washington Commanders aren’t waisting any time making moves to turn the once storied franchise into a championship contender again.
On Monday morning, it was announced the team was firing Ron Rivera after four losing seasons.
Shortly after that, the team released a statement explaining their intense search process to land the right coach and general manager, and within hours, names of the top heading coaching candidates and GM/executives started getting released as the Commanders have been actively prepping, setting up and confirming interviews.
The list below covers most of the names that have been reported so far. Washington — like many other teams — is also reportedly interested in Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Out of this list my top 3 FO guys are:
Adam Peters
Alec Halaby
Mike Borgonzi#HTTC pic.twitter.com/uSqrMMzC6f— #JoshHarris🐐 (@DMVCommanders) January 8, 2024
Josh Harris has hired two prominent executives — former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers and former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman — to assist his ownership group with searches for a new head of football operations and head coach, team officials told ESPN.
And along with a bevy of high-ranking general manager and head coaching names linked to the Washington Commanders since Rivera’s firing was announced is San Francisco 49ers GM Adam Peters, who has widely been considered one of the top candidates for a few years but turned down multiple interview requests.
Myers, the architect of four championships with the Warriors and a current ESPN NBA analyst, and Spielman, a 30-year NFL front-office executive, will work with Harris and his limited partners Mitch Rates, Magic Johnson and David Blitzer as part of an advisory committee designed to reshape the Commanders’ front office and coaching staff, team officials told ESPN.
“I have been fortunate to know Josh Harris for many years and his commitment to building championship-caliber teams is what drew me here,” Myers said in a statement. “In my experience, championship infrastructure begins with a strong ownership group that prioritizes culture and invests in attracting the industry’s most talented and innovative leaders…This is the type of opportunity that really inspires me, and I look forward to contributing to the next chapter of this storied franchise.”
Spielman – who had been the Vikings GM for nine years until leaving in 2021 – has 30 years of NFL front office experience.
Myers and Adam Peters have a close relationship which bodes well for the Washington Commanders. This is likely one of the many reasons the new owner went outside-the-box and added one of the most successful recent NBA execs to help lead a search for a top NFL head coach and GM.
Bob Myers and Adam Peters go way back. Same high school and both UCLA alums. They've had a relationship for quite some time. Peters definitely a strong candidate for the #Commanders GM job. https://t.co/FJgrHqgmc7
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 8, 2024
“This is a crucial offseason for us, and we won’t shy away from the work needed to get back to a place where we can deliver a winning culture top to bottom,” Harris said in a statement shared to ESPN. “…I’ve known Bob a long time and watched him construct four championship teams and a highly successful organization in Golden State…He is innovative, thoughtful, well-connected across sports and understands what it takes to solidify and sustain championship infrastructure. I think he’s going to be incredibly additive.”
Washington Commanders Land Interview With Top GM Candidate Adam Peters Who Has Turned Down Multiple Requests In The Past
Since the official firing of Rivera was announced Monday morning, potential coaches and names the Commanders have either contacted or landed interviews with have been rolling in, and now one of the most sought after executives in recent years came onto the scene.
NFL Insider Albert Breer first announced “49ers assistant GM Adam Peters was requested to interview for the Commanders head of football operations job, and will take the interview this week, per source. Significant in that he’s one of the most sought-after GM names and turned down interviews with the Titans and Cardinals last year.”
49ers ass’t GM Adam Peters was requested to interview for the Commanders head of football ops job, and will take the interview this week, per source. Significant in that he’s one of the most sought-after GM names and turned down interviews with the Titans and Cardinals last year.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 8, 2024
Peters is in his 21st NFL season and third as the 49ers assistant GM. While John Lynch receives most of the credit for San Francisco’s outstanding roster, it is Peters who is considered by many to be the principal architect of the franchise.
He’s been with the 49ers since 2017. The former UCLA player cut his teeth as a college scout in New England, rose as a personnel man in Denver under Josh McDaniels and then John Elway, and grew into a well-respected exec in San Francisco going to Super Bowls with all three teams.
Harris is made it clear he wants to hire the new head of football operations — who may then hire an assistant GM — before deciding on a head coach, so that executive has significant input in who he will be working hand-and-and with.
Josh Harris said he wants to work with the new head of football operations in deciding on the next head coach.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 8, 2024
Adam Peters is a coveted GM candidate and has been in recent years. However, he may choose to stay in San Francisco as the 49ers could promote him to GM after they promoted Lynch to president of football operations. Peters nearly got the New York Giants’ job two years ago, and turned down interviews with the Titans and Cardinals last year. So he won’t leave a good situation for just any job but it sounds like his willingness to take such a quick interview and connections with the team the Washington Commanders have hired to find candidates could make this a real possibility.
Along with both Breer and Garafalo nothing the significance of Adam Peters not only agreeing to interview in Washington, but set it up so quickly this week, there’s a sense the Commanders could lock down their top candidate early.
There have been a lot of questions on if Peters would actually leave San Francisco. I think this might be the right situation to actually get him to take a job after turning down interviews last year. https://t.co/dMsXtdv1JW
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) January 8, 2024
The Las Vegas Raiders have also requested permission to interview the 49ers highly coveted assistant GM, but there’s no word if he’s accepted.
With the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft cemented, six draft picks in the first three rounds (because of the Montez Sweat and Chase Young trades) and one of the best salary cap situations among any NFL team meaning there will be leverage to add talent via free agency, Washington may be the most appealing fit for Peters.
For Washington Commanders fans, it’s a major breath of fresh air to see a new ownership group announce a thorough, creative plan with almost every top candidate listed on their radar just hours after moving on from their head coach. Adam Peters — and more than half of the candidates listed so far — would have never considered coming to Washington with Dan Snyder running the show.
But Josh Harris and the people he surrounds himself with clearly have great reputations. There were multiple reports stating D.C. was considered one of the top destinations for the top coaches and execs in the 2024 offseason, and hope for the future is at an all time high with the fan base.
