TEAM SUPER BOWL HISTORY
How Many Super Bowls Have the Washington Commanders Won?
The Washington Commanders have won three Super Bowls in five appearances.
Washington won all three championships under Joe Gibbs, but not with one quarterback carrying the same team back every year. Joe Theismann, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien each finished a different title run. The franchise’s first trip came earlier under George Allen and Billy Kilmer, which gives the five-game record a clear line between the first loss and the Gibbs years.
Records reviewed through Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026.
- Super Bowl Titles
- 3
- Super Bowl Appearances
- 5
- Super Bowl Record
- 3–2
- Last Appearance
- 1992 / Super Bowl XXVI
Three Championships, Three Starting Quarterbacks
Washington reached Super Bowl VII with Allen’s defense and Kilmer at quarterback, then went a decade before returning. Gibbs changed the offense around the players he had. Theismann worked behind a punishing run game, Williams attacked Denver downfield in one historic quarter and Rypien finished a balanced 1991 team that could win without chasing the game.
That is the defining point of Washington’s Super Bowl record. Gibbs did not need one quarterback to hold the job across the entire run. He won with three starters because each championship team had a different way to control the matchup.
COMPLETE APPEARANCE RECORD
Every Washington Commanders Super Bowl Appearance
| Year | Super Bowl | Team | Opponent | Result | Final score | MVP | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Super Bowl VII | Washington Redskins | Miami Dolphins | Loss | Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Redskins 7 | Jake Scott | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
| 1983 | Super Bowl XVII | Washington Redskins | Miami Dolphins | Win | Miami Dolphins 17, Washington Redskins 27 | John Riggins | Rose Bowl |
| 1984 | Super Bowl XVIII | Washington Redskins | Los Angeles Raiders | Loss | Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington Redskins 9 | Marcus Allen | Tampa Stadium |
| 1988 | Super Bowl XXII | Washington Redskins | Denver Broncos | Win | Denver Broncos 10, Washington Redskins 42 | Doug Williams | Jack Murphy Stadium |
| 1992 | Super Bowl XXVI | Washington Redskins | Buffalo Bills | Win | Buffalo Bills 24, Washington Redskins 37 | Mark Rypien | Metrodome |
Washington’s Closest Loss Was Not an Offensive Shootout
The 14–7 score in Super Bowl VII makes Washington’s closest loss look tighter than the offense played. Miami held Washington without an offensive touchdown and protected a two-score lead deep into the fourth quarter.
Washington’s only points came after Garo Yepremian’s blocked field-goal attempt turned into a 49-yard Mike Bass return. That play gave Washington one last chance, but it did not erase how completely Miami had controlled the offense before it happened.
GAME-BY-GAME HISTORY
Washington Commanders Super Bowl Results, Explained
1973 · Washington Redskins vs. Miami Dolphins
Super Bowl VII
Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Redskins 7
- Location
- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum · Los Angeles, California
- MVP
- Jake Scott
Turning point: Mike Bass returned Miami’s failed field-goal attempt for Washington’s only touchdown with 2:07 left.
Miami ran the ball, protected the lead and kept Kilmer from finding a clean passing rhythm. Washington did not score on offense, so Bass’s return created late tension without changing who had controlled the game. The Dolphins recovered the final onside kick and finished the only perfect season in the Super Bowl era.
1983 · Washington Redskins vs. Miami Dolphins
Super Bowl XVII
Miami Dolphins 17, Washington Redskins 27
- Location
- Rose Bowl · Pasadena, California
- MVP
- John Riggins
Turning point: John Riggins broke a fourth-and-1 run for a 43-yard touchdown that put Washington ahead in the fourth quarter.
Miami led 17–10 at halftime, but Washington kept leaning on Riggins and the offensive line. The fourth-down touchdown turned that pressure into the lead, and Washington’s defense did not allow another point. Riggins finished with 166 rushing yards and gave Gibbs his first championship.
1984 · Washington Redskins vs. Los Angeles Raiders
Super Bowl XVIII
Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington Redskins 9
- Location
- Tampa Stadium · Tampa, Florida
- MVP
- Marcus Allen
Turning point: Jack Squirek intercepted Theismann near the goal line and returned it for a touchdown just before halftime.
Washington was already trailing when Squirek jumped a screen pass and made it 21–3. That defensive score changed the second half from a comeback attempt into a chase. Allen’s 74-yard touchdown run finished the separation and handed the defending champion its most decisive Super Bowl loss.
1988 · Washington Redskins vs. Denver Broncos
Super Bowl XXII
Denver Broncos 10, Washington Redskins 42
- Location
- Jack Murphy Stadium · San Diego, California
- MVP
- Doug Williams
Turning point: Williams hit Ricky Sanders for an 80-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, starting a 35-point Washington surge.
Washington trailed 10–0 after the first quarter and then changed the game in 18 offensive plays. Williams threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter while Timmy Smith added a long scoring run. Denver never recovered from the speed of that burst, and Williams became the first Black starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
1992 · Washington Redskins vs. Buffalo Bills
Super Bowl XXVI
Buffalo Bills 24, Washington Redskins 37
- Location
- Metrodome · Minneapolis, Minnesota
- MVP
- Mark Rypien
Turning point: Washington scored 17 points in the second quarter and carried a shutout into halftime.
Rypien attacked Buffalo outside the numbers and the defense kept Jim Kelly under constant pressure. Washington led 24–0 before Buffalo scored and forced five turnovers over the full game. The 37–24 final was closer than the game felt because Washington had already built the margin needed to control the second half.
Joe Gibbs Never Needed One Formula
Theismann, Williams and Rypien did not win the same way. Riggins and the offensive line closed Super Bowl XVII, Williams broke Denver with vertical throws in Super Bowl XXII and the 1991 team used depth on both sides of the ball to keep Buffalo from settling into its own pace.
The current Commanders carry the same franchise record as the Washington teams that appeared under the former name. The name changed. The five appearances, three championships and Gibbs’s work with three starting quarterbacks remain one continuous football history.