Buccaneers vs. Washington Commanders 
OPPONENT SPOTLIGHT · WASHINGTON FRANCHISE · Updated October 26, 2026
Completed meetings through January 12, 2025. Scores below always list Tampa Bay first.
Capital Gains. Pirate Rules.
ARRR, welcome to the capital chapter of the ship’s log! The Captain has arrived carrying a treasure bag with a large X, a stadium-roof proposal, and the firm conviction that every Buccaneers touchdown should qualify as a capital improvement.
“They have Commanders,” he announced. “We have a Captain. At last, someone authorized to approve me canopy!”
The Parrot examined the paperwork. “Your entire construction budget is six doblones, a parking receipt, and an unsigned promise to score more points.”
Whatever the name on Washington’s uniforms, this matchup has delivered nerve-rattling finishes and January consequences. The records belong in one continuous history; the treasure, naturally, belongs under armed parrot supervision.
23 completed games
4 playoff meetings
27 games, no ties
October 9 in Tampa
Sources: Regular-season game log · Franchise head-to-head records.
January 12, 2025: One Doink, One Difficult Goodbye
Washington 23, Tampa Bay 20 · Raymond James Stadium. Zane Gonzalez’s 37-yard field goal struck the right upright and went through as time expired. Washington had held the ball for the final 4:41, leaving the Buccaneers no answer and the Captain with an immediate objection to the structural integrity of goalposts.
Baker Mayfield completed 15 of 18 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns. Mike Evans caught seven passes for 92 yards and a score; Bucky Irving rushed for 77 yards and added a receiving touchdown. A fourth-quarter exchange fumble gave Washington a short field, and Tampa Bay’s subsequent tying field goal could not prevent the final drive.
The Pirate’s verdict: “A ball hitting the woodwork should come back to sea.” The Parrot’s verdict: “That is not how uprights work.”
Sources: Buccaneers Wild Card recap.
On September 8, 2024, Tampa Bay won 37–20 at home. Mayfield threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, with Mike Evans catching two of the scoring passes. Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan caught the other two. That opening-day win and the January playoff defeat are separate games in the tables below.
Sources: Buccaneers 2024 season-opener recap.
Every Regular-Season Encounter
Tampa Bay: 11 wins, 12 losses. The venue breakdown is 7–5 in Tampa and 4–7 on the road. These figures exclude the four playoff games shown separately. Historical stadium names identify the building as it was known at the time.
Use the filters to explore the ledger. A GameDay link opens the matching BuccaneersFan.com archive; a dash means no report link is available here. Every game remains in the history regardless.
On smaller screens, swipe the table sideways to see the score and report columns.
All 23 regular-season games are shown.
| Game date | Washington name | Site & stadium | Result | Score | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | HomeTampa Stadium Tampa, Florida | L | 0–10 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | HomeTampa Stadium Tampa, Florida | L | 13–21 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | AwayRFK Stadium Washington, D.C. | L | 28–32 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | HomeTampa Stadium Tampa, Florida | L | 17–23 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | HomeTampa Stadium Tampa, Florida | W | 26–21 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | AwayRFK Stadium Washington, D.C. | W | 17–14 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | HomeTampa Stadium Tampa, Florida | W | 14–6 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | HomeHoulihan’s Stadium Tampa, Florida | W | 24–10 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | AwayJack Kent Cooke Stadium Landover, Maryland | L | 16–20 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | AwayFedExField Landover, Maryland | L | 17–20OT | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | AwayFedExField Landover, Maryland | W | 35–13 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | AwayFedExField Landover, Maryland | L | 10–16 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | HomeRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida | W | 36–35 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | HomeRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida | W | 20–17 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | HomeRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida | W | 19–13 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | AwayFedExField Landover, Maryland | L | 13–16 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | AwayFedExField Landover, Maryland | W | 17–16 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | HomeRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida | L | 22–24 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | AwayFedExField Landover, Maryland | W | 27–7 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | AwayFedExField Landover, Maryland | L | 30–31 | GameDay | |
| Washington Redskins | HomeRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida | L | 3–16 | GameDay | |
| Washington Football Team | AwayFedExField Landover, Maryland | L | 19–29 | — | |
| Washington Commanders | HomeRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida | W | 37–20 | — |
Sources: Regular-season dates and scores · Buccaneers series history.
January Stakes: Four Playoff Meetings
The postseason is level at two victories apiece. These are Divisional and Wild Card games—not NFC Championship games. A January date belongs to the NFL season that began in the preceding calendar year.
| Game date & season | Round & opponent | Site & stadium | Result | Score | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 NFL season | NFC DivisionalWashington Redskins | HomeRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida | W | 14–13 | GameDay |
| 2005 NFL season | NFC Wild CardWashington Redskins | HomeRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida | L | 10–17 | GameDay |
| 2020 NFL season | NFC Wild CardWashington Football Team | AwayFedExField Landover, Maryland | W | 31–23 | — |
| 2024 NFL season | NFC Wild CardWashington Commanders | HomeRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida | L | 20–23 | — |
Archive note: The January 15, 2000 report is stored under the legacy filename PS-2000-01-16.htm. Its original headline also uses January 16; the actual game date, shown correctly here, was January 15. That separate archive has not been edited by this page update.
Sources: Contemporary January 15, 2000 recap · 2020-season Wild Card recap · 2024-season Wild Card recap.
Next Encounter: No Invented Port of Call
Washington is not on Tampa Bay’s 2026 regular-season schedule. No future date, score, or report link has been manufactured for this page. Follow the current-season hub for the Buccaneers’ next confirmed opponent.
“Excellent,” declared the Captain. “Time to compound the treasure.” The Parrot moved the bag farther away from his souvenir budget.
Sources: Official Buccaneers schedule · Washington’s announced 2026 schedule.
Washington Commanders: The Opposition Briefing
- Franchise granted
- July 9, 1932; began play that year as the Boston Braves.
- Washington era
- Since 1937, following the franchise’s Boston years.
- Current name
- Washington Commanders, announced February 2, 2022.
- Division
- NFC East.
- Home stadium
- Northwest Stadium, Landover, Maryland.
- Championships
- Five NFL titles: two pre-Super Bowl championships and three Super Bowl victories.
- Colors
- Burgundy and gold, with white and black uniform options.
- Fan vocabulary
- Burgundy & Gold, the Hogs, and a long tradition of football in the Washington region.
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame team facts · Commanders name announcement · Current home venue.
Leadership & Coaches · October 2026
- Managing partner
- Josh Harris.
- General manager
- Adam Peters.
- Team president
- Mark Clouse.
- Head coach
- Dan Quinn.
- Offense
- David Blough, offensive coordinator.
- Defense
- Daronte Jones, defensive coordinator.
- Special teams
- Larry Izzo, special teams coordinator.
Coaches and executives are presented as a dated briefing, not a permanent roster. The 2026 staff has its own place in the story, rather than leaving earlier coaches under a misleading “present” heading.
Sources: 2026 coaching-staff announcement · Official front-office roster.
Treasure Worth Remembering
Rhett Opens the Vault
Errict Rhett rushed for 192 yards as Tampa Bay finally beat Washington, 26–21. The Bucs followed with another victory at RFK two weeks later. One breakthrough became a season sweep.
“That,” said the Captain, “is what I call collecting the return fare.”
Thirteen Down, One Ahead
Tampa Bay erased a 13–0 deficit to win 14–13. A Shaun King touchdown pass to John Davis supplied the winning points, and the defense’s takeaways helped turn a nearly empty treasure bag into another playoff trip.
Alstott Goes for the Whole Chest
With the game on the line, Mike Alstott’s two-point conversion delivered a 36–35 Buccaneers victory. One extra point would have been conservative accounting. The A-Train preferred the full payment.
Sources: Buccaneers rivalry retrospective · 2000 playoff comeback · Tampa Bay’s one-point victories.
January 9, 2021: The Championship Voyage Begins
Tampa Bay’s 31–23 Wild Card victory at Washington opened the postseason run that ended in Super Bowl LV glory. Tom Brady passed for 381 yards and two touchdowns; Mike Evans had 119 receiving yards, and Leonard Fournette supplied 132 yards from scrimmage. Washington’s Taylor Heinicke kept the contest competitive, but the Buccaneers secured their first playoff victory since Super Bowl XXXVII.
The Captain’s lesson: a successful expedition needs more than a decorated map. It needs the first road victory.
Sources: Buccaneers Wild Card game recap.
Two Cities, Familiar Quarterbacks
From Tampa’s First Playoff Runs to Super Bowl MVP
Tampa Bay selected Williams in the first round of the 1978 draft. He led the Buccaneers to their first three postseason appearances before later becoming Washington’s Super Bowl XXII-winning quarterback and MVP. His connection continued in football operations with both organizations; Washington’s current biography lists him as senior advisor to the general manager.
For a Buccaneers historian, this is not a footnote. It is a major chapter shared by two very different jerseys.
Sources: Washington’s Doug Williams biography.
A Quarterback on Both Sides of the Ledger
Johnson played for Washington in 1999–2000 and Tampa Bay in 2001–2004. The January 2000 playoff comeback therefore came against a quarterback who would later wear the pewter and red.
The Captain checked his old programs twice. “I prefer me familiar faces on the friendly ship.” The Parrot suggested reading the season before issuing boarding orders.
Sources: NFL career statistics · January 2000 playoff account.
One Franchise, Several Names, a Long Football Story
Washington’s earlier names remain in historical game entries and original artwork. The modern profile uses Commanders. Washington Football Team is used for the 2020–2021 seasons. The older name and logo were retired in 2020; retaining an original image or archive filename here documents its era, rather than presenting it as today’s branding.
1932–1945: Boston Beginnings, Washington Championships
The club began as the Boston Braves in 1932, adopted the Redskins name in 1933, and moved to Washington in 1937. Sammy Baugh helped establish its early identity. Championships in 1937 and 1942 made the franchise a major force well before the Super Bowl era.
The Long Climb Back
The decades after those early championships brought leaner results. Vince Lombardi coached Washington in 1969, and George Allen’s veteran-focused teams restored the club to contention in the 1970s. The 1972 team reached Super Bowl VII.
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame franchise history · Championship and franchise records.
The Gibbs Years: Three Championship Seasons
Joe Gibbs’ first tenure produced the franchise’s three Super Bowl victories. The Hogs offensive line, John Riggins, and championship quarterbacks Joe Theismann, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien became central figures in Washington’s football memory. Each championship belongs to its season year—even though the Super Bowl was played in January of the following year.
| Season | Championship | Title-game result |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | NFL Championship | Washington 28, Chicago 21 |
| 1942 | NFL Championship | Washington 14, Chicago 6 |
| 1982 | Super Bowl XVII · January 30, 1983 | Washington 27, Miami 17 |
| 1987 | Super Bowl XXII · January 31, 1988 | Washington 42, Denver 10 |
| 1991 | Super Bowl XXVI · January 26, 1992 | Washington 37, Buffalo 24 |
Sources: Washington championship record · Franchise championship history.
Later Chapters: Change Without Erasing the Record
The move from RFK to Landover in 1997 began a new stadium era. Later teams produced memorable individual seasons and playoff appearances without recreating the sustained championship success of the Gibbs years. The Washington Football Team name covered the 2020 and 2021 seasons; the Commanders identity was introduced on February 2, 2022.
The current organization is led by the Josh Harris ownership group and general manager Adam Peters. Dan Quinn’s staff, Jayden Daniels’ arrival, and Washington’s January 2025 playoff victory in Tampa belong to the modern chapter—not to an indefinitely extended Jay Gruden or Daniel Snyder era.
Sources: Commanders identity announcement · Current organization · January 2025 playoff meeting.
From Boston Ballparks to the Next Washington Home
The geography matters. Washington’s franchise began in Boston, spent decades inside the District, and now plays its home games in Landover, Maryland. Its next proposed home is a separate project at the former RFK site.
| Seasons | Home | Archive context |
|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Braves Field · Boston | First season as the Boston Braves. |
| 1933–1936 | Fenway Park · Boston | Boston years under the former team name. |
| 1937–1960 | Griffith Stadium · Washington, D.C. | Home during the 1937 and 1942 championship seasons. |
| 1961–1996 | D.C. Stadium / RFK Stadium · Washington, D.C. | The setting for the franchise’s celebrated Super Bowl era. |
| 1997–present | Northwest Stadium · Landover, Maryland | Opened as Jack Kent Cooke Stadium; later known as FedExField. Earlier game rows retain the venue name used then. |
| Future project | New stadium at the former RFK site | Enclosed stadium targeted for 2030. Not today’s home venue. |
Sources: Franchise venue history · 2026 home-stadium program · RFK-site plan and target opening.
The Future Roof That Caught the Captain’s Eye
In August 2026, Washington selected a Clark Construction Group, Mortenson and SmootDC joint venture to build its new stadium. The announced design calls for an approximately 65,000-seat enclosed, climate-controlled venue on the former RFK campus. The team has identified 2030 as the target opening; these are future plans, not a completed stadium or a replacement for this season’s Landover address.
“A roof!” gasped the Captain, clutching the X-marked bag on his hip. “At last, a sensible use for touchdown revenue.”
The Parrot checked his figures. “Your budget covers a canopy, Captain. Singular. Possibly the one over the snack cart.”
Sources: August 2026 construction-team announcement · Official stadium development plan.
Burgundy, Gold & a New 2026 Wardrobe
Washington’s visual identity has changed substantially since the older images on this page were created. The modern Commanders identity arrived in 2022, while its historical artwork and earlier uniforms still belong in the archive.
2026: A Return to Championship-Era Cues
The 2026 refresh introduced Super Bowl Era-inspired burgundy and white primary uniforms, a glossy burgundy helmet with three stripes and a gold facemask, and gold pants. Traditional block lettering and numerals help connect the new designs with the franchise’s championship years.
The black Hail Raiser alternate takes a different direction, pairing its darker uniform with a low-gloss black helmet and the Spear W mark. These are current text updates; the preserved images below are not being relabeled as photographs of the new collection.
“Burgundy and gold,” mused the Captain. “One is a color. The other belongs in me bag.” The Parrot clarified that a gold-colored helmet is not legal tender.
Sources: Official 2026 uniform announcement · 2022 Commanders identity.
Hogs, Halftime & the People Behind the Noise
Major Tuddy
Washington does have an official mascot today: Major Tuddy. The hog character draws on the legacy of the Hogs offensive line and participates in team and community activities. The old “no official mascot” description no longer fits.
Sources: Major Tuddy’s official page.
Command Force
The current performance group combines dance, pom routines and community appearances. Its presentation reflects Washington-area dance culture rather than the outdated squad description retained in many older articles.
Sources: Official Command Force page.
Marching Band & The Show
The marching band and Command Force are part of Washington’s 2026 pregame production, The Show. The team’s announcement asks fans to be in their seats 30 minutes before kickoff to experience the sequence.
Sources: 2026 pregame announcement.
A Place in the Fan Scrapbook: Chief Zee
Your original page remembered longtime Washington supporter Zema Williams, known as Chief Zee. That tribute remains part of the historical story. Washington’s official remembrance describes a devoted fan who began attending games in 1978 and became a familiar presence across decades. He died in 2016. This is a historical fan tribute, separate from today’s official mascot.
Sources: Washington’s remembrance of Zema Williams.
The Captain respects a supporter who keeps showing up. Rival colors are fair game for friendly banter; a lifetime of loyalty gets a salute from the quarterdeck.
The Artwork Stays Aboard
These original graphics are preserved as historical pieces of BuccaneersFan.com. Earlier names, logos and uniforms belong to the era of the artwork; they do not replace the current Commanders information above.
Source Notes & the Captain’s Fine Print
Results are separated into regular season and postseason. The win–loss totals are calculated from the dated rows, and the historical Washington team names follow their respective playing eras. Preseason games are not included in those totals.
Your original page supplied the images, licensed embeds, website framework and archive destinations. Dates, scores, playoff rounds and newer team information were checked against the linked statistical records and official team sources. The supplied sitemap was used to match existing GameDay addresses; the report column does not invent coverage for unlinked games.
The January 2000 archive’s legacy date discrepancy is disclosed below its playoff table. Coaching, uniform and stadium information is a snapshot checked on October 26, 2026. Future stadium dates remain targets. Captain Booty and the Parrot’s dialogue is fan entertainment, not a quotation from either team.
Final entry in the ship’s log: Washington may command the capital, but nobody requisitions the Captain’s booty without a signed receipt—and a Buccaneers touchdown.