And their success contains lessons for security executives.

When the then-Washington Redskins fell into the hands of Daniel Snyder in 1999, it had a history of glory. That faded as the team flailed on the field and misfired on its draft picks and free agent signings. Over the next quarter century, the team made only six playoff appearances, winning only two games.

Futility on the field reflected the toxicity, double-dealing, incompetence, and greed from the top. Cheerleaders were sexually harassed and treated as perks. Snyder presided over an empire riddled with financial improprieties and short-term avarice. For example, he allegedly withheld ticket revenue that he was obligated to share with visiting teams.

The team showed contempt for fans. Management drove up ticket prices by selling in bulk to resellers. It sued season ticket holders who couldn’t pay during the financial recession of 2007-2009, it charged fees to attend practices and tailgate, and it raised prices across the board, even as the quality of the product diminished.

Snyder was widely considered one of the worst owners in all professional sports.

When Josh Harris bought the now-Commanders in 2023, he had to restore team quality and pride. He had to rekindle fans’ passion, loyalty, and participation. He had to make Washington an attractive place to play, so free agents would willingly relocate there and current team members would stay. He had to create an environment of transparency and fair dealing. He had to turn around the facilities and culture, which the NFL Players Association had graded an F-minus.

Harris began by overhauling the leadership and culture. He hired a new general manager and head coach that shared his philosophy, vision, and mission. The three men agreed on a “standard” type of Commanders player and ended up turning over about half of the roster from 2023 to 2024.

Players also had to be treated respectfully. Harris updated their timeworn training facility with state-of-the-art amenities, most importantly replacing the threadbare practice turf with a high-performance playing surface. The facility was reorganized to create more player interaction and camaraderie.

Most pundits had modest expectations for a team with a new owner, a new general manager, a new head coach, and a rookie quarterback. Forecasts predicted them to go 5-12.

The team turned that prediction on its head, going 12-5, including winning games miraculously in the final seconds. Once-alienated fans jumped on the bandwagon. They shocked two teams on the road in the playoffs, including a legitimate Super Bowl favorite. The dream ended in the NFC Championship Game, but it had been a fairy tale season nonetheless.

For security executives, the Commanders’ experience demonstrates how important tone at the top is, as well as rallying around a common mission, vision, and culture. If you didn’t fit the Commanders culture, you hit the road, even high performers. The Commanders also had a continuity plan for their best player, rookie Jayden Daniels, who plays the most important position in football: quarterback. The team showed foresight and resilience when it signed a seasoned backup with a similar skillset to Daniels, and he won the two games he filled in. Finally, it assigned different team captains for each game, rather than relying on the same few. This strategy allowed many players to step into new leadership roles, demonstrating that the team wasn’t built around a few superstars.

You can say that successful football teams and security departments share more than good protection schemes.