National Museum of African American History and Culture
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The city is ready to welcome you ahead of, during and after the 2027 NFL Draft with a bounty of football-related experiences.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture (which celebrates its 10th anniversary this fall) makes for a great starting point thanks to its Sports: Leveling the Playing Field exhibit, which showcases Black stars on the gridiron as well as the essential role that historically Black colleges and universities played in bringing Black talent to the NFL.
There are also football-related artifacts spread throughout other Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of American History, the National Postal Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
The Library of Congress also maintains a catalogue of free-to-use images and the National Archives has a plethora of football-related holdings.
Emily Faith Morgan – Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are one of the NFL’s most historic franchises. Founded in 1932, the organization has made five Super Bowl appearances and has won five NFL championships in total. The current team is led by superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels and looks to build a new tradition of winning in the nation’s capital, which will once again be the site of their home stadium beginning in 2030.
The city is also abuzz as it prepares to host the 2027 NFL Draft (April 29 – May 1) on the National Mall. Catch a game this fall or winter and be a part of one of the coolest atmospheres in the NFL.
The Fields at RFK Campus
Located right next to the former site of RFK Stadium, which was home to the Commanders (then known as the Redskins) from 1961 to 1996, The Fields at RFK is a 27-acre outdoor sports complex that allows for plenty of recreation (touch football, anyone?) with beautiful views of the Anacostia River. The Commanders will again play nearby when their new stadium opens in 2030.
You can also explore the Congress Heights neighborhood, which can include a Washington Mystics or Capital City Go-Go game at CareFirst Arena.
Rodney Pierce - Howard University
Within the city limits alone, you can catch football games at Georgetown University, Howard University and Catholic University every fall and winter. The first two compete in the NCAA’s FCS division while Catholic is a Division III school. Of course, just down the road in College Park, Md., the University of Maryland fields the Terrapins as part of the Big 10, one of the power-five conferences in FBS.
Although you’ll have to wait until the spring (ironically enough, right around the same time that the NFL Draft is held in DC), the DC Defenders make for outstanding football entertainment in the nation’s capital. From the rowdy atmosphere that includes the famous Beer Snake to a Defenders team that regularly competes in the postseason, Audi Field makes for a great destination to get your live-action football fix during the NFL’s offseason.
In the 1890s, the football huddle originated at Gallaudet when the team noticed its opponent decoding their sign language to figure out their plays. Quarterback Paul D. Hubbard requested his teammates form a circle around him so his signs could not be determined. You can learn more about Gallaudet and the history of the deaf community at the National Deaf Life Museum, located on the University’s campus and free to visit.
The Madhatter
There’s nothing like taking a seat at a watering hole to take in some football on a Sunday (or Saturday) afternoon in the fall. DC has a ton of options when it comes to sports bars spread throughout the city. We’ve also listed which bars claim which NFL teams, so if you’re from out of town, you can find the spot where other fans of your squad take in the game.
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