Washington Commanders‘ quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard will coach his final game for the Commanders on Sunday night.
Stanford University announced Friday that Pritchard is the school’s next head coach of the football program.
Pritchard, a former Stanford quarterback, spent more than a decade on the Cardinal staff as an assistant coach and coordinator under David Shaw. In 2023, he joined the Commanders after serving in various roles at Stanford from 2010 to 2022.
GettySTANFORD – NOVEMBER 15: Quarterback Tavita Pritchard #14 of Stanford Cardinals runs the ball during the game against the USC Trojans at Stanford Stadium on November 15, 2008 in Stanford, California. (Photo by: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
Pritchard, 38, was granted permission to depart the Commanders and return to the Stanford staff after Washington’s upcoming “Sunday Night Football” matchup against the Denver Broncos.
Pritchard Chosen by Andrew Luck and Condoleezza Rice
According to ESPN, Pritchard was selected from a field of more than 30 candidates in a search led by general manager Andrew Luck, with input from athletic director John Donahoe, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Stanford president Jonathan Levin. The candidate pool featured strong interest from both the college ranks and the NFL.
“Tavita Pritchard is exactly the right head coach at the right time to help us build on the foundation of this season and lead Stanford football to its next great era,” Luck said in a statement to ESPN. “Coach Pritchard is a culture builder, a teacher of football of the highest caliber, and a humble yet determined servant leader who is committed to the success of Stanford’s student-athletes. I could not be more excited to welcome Tavita, [his wife] Caroline and their family back to campus.”
Pritchard brings significant offensive expertise, having coached Jayden Daniels during his 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl campaign.
GettyASHBURN, VA – JULY 25 : Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) passes as QB coach Tavita Pritchard look on during day one of training camp in Ashburn, VA on July 23, 2025. (Photo by John McDonnell/ for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
At Stanford, he earned a strong reputation as a quarterback developer. He began coaching quarterbacks — in addition to wide receivers — in 2014, and was elevated to offensive coordinator in 2018 while retaining his quarterback-coach duties, roles he held through 2022.
Jayden Daniels Wants to Return in Week 14
At 3-8, the Commanders have to look toward next season at this point. Daniels has been two separate stints this season, but there is a “realistic possibility” that Daniels could return week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings, ESPN reported. He had already been ruled out for week 13 on Sunday night.
Earlier this week, Daniels said that if he’s “healthy and ready to go,” he wants to be on the field. Injuries have limited him to six games this season, during which he has led Washington to a 2–4 record. He has completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 1,184 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions, while adding 262 rushing yards and two scores on 54 carries. The Commanders are just 1–4 this season with backup Marcus Mariota as the starter.
Receiver Terry McLaurin will return to the field for the Commanders after his injury, marking just his fifth appearance of the season. The Broncos, meanwhile, announced that All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II — the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year — will also be back in action Sunday night. Their matchup should be one of the highlights of the game, with two premier players likely to spend much of the night lined up against each other.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Commanders Assistant Lands Huge New Job & Will Coach Final Game Sunday appeared first on Heavy Sports.