OXON HILL, Md. — Loyal Washington Commanders fans were decked out in burgundy and gold for the first game of the season.
"I got my fan chain, my Commanders gear, hat, this is what I do" one fan said.
Fans gathered at the MGM Casino, at Tap Sports Bar Sunday afternoon excited for the new era, with a new coach and a new quarterback.
"I love the team, I love what they represent. I love the guys, the coaching...I think we're going to be better than we've ever been before" a fan said.
At halftime, the Commanders trailed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16-7, eventually sinking to 37-20.
But, the No. 2 overall pick, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels didn't go down without a fight. Daniels directed a pair of scoring drives over the final 17 minutes. He finished with 88 yards rushing on 16 attempts and went 17 of 24 passing for 184 yards and no interceptions. The Bucs sacked him twice.
While fans may be disappointed by the loss, they remained optimistic for the season.
"It's a process. When you bring in new players mix it with veteran players, it's not to going to happen overnight. It's going to take some time," one Commanders fan said.
The Commanders' next game is the home opener set to kick off Sept. 15 against the New York Giants at 1 p.m.