Alex Ovechkin made sports history earlier this month when he surpassed Wayne Gretzky for the most career goals in the NHL. Many thought the record was unbreakable, and yet Ovechkin did it in as many games as Gretzky, further cementing his status as not only one of the best athletes in Washington Capitals and D.C. sports history but also in the NHL.

The Washington Commanders don't have a record as significant as the one Ovechkin broke, but his accomplishment did get us thinking about some of the longest-standing records in franchise history.

So, here's a look at some of the best career performances in franchise history, and who has the best chance of breaking them.

Passing

• Joe Theismann (1975-85): 25,206 yards
• Theismann is one of many Washington Legends who will be listed as stands as one of the best quarterbacks in franchise history with a decorated career that includes a Super Bowl championship, an MVP selection in 1983 and two Pro Bowls. He played his entire career with Washington and won 77 games in 12 years -- the most by any passer for the team.
• Who has the best chance to beat it? Jayden Daniels has a long way to go before being considered an all-time Commanders player but got off to a good start. His 3,568-yard rookie campaign, which helped him become the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, already puts him 21st in team history.

Rushing

• John Riggins (1975-85): 7,472 yards
• Although Riggins' most famous play was his touchdown run against the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII, the Hall of Fame running back delivered over a decade of fond memories for Burgundy & Gold fans. Although there have been several great Washington running backs over the years, only one play -- Clinton Portis -- has come close to reaching Riggins in the last 40 years.
• Who has the best chance to beat it? Like Daniels, Brian Robinson Jr. has some work to do before reaching Riggins or getting into the top 10, although he's not as far off from the latter category as one might think. He's currently at 15th with 2,329 yards, but a 1,000-yard season -- a feat he has come close to reaching in previous years -- would move him to ninth in franchise history.

Receiving

• Art Monk (1980-93): 12,026 yards
• Monk was a mainstay during Washington's golden years, helping the team win all three of their Super Bowls. Although he didn't spend all of his career in Washington -- his last two seasons were with the Philadelphia Eagles -- his time with the Burgundy & Gold provided his best moments, as he had five 1,000-yard seasons and two All-Pro team selections among numerous other accolades.
• Who has the best chance to beat it? Of course, the answer here is Terry McLaurin. He's already proven himself as one of the team's best receivers with 6,739 yards, which puts him sixth on Washington's all-time list. He's had five straight 1,000-yard seasons, and if he has a similar performance in 2025, it could move him as high as fourth past Santana Moss.

Defense

• Interceptions
  • Darrell Green (1983-2002): 54
• Pass breakups
  • Champ Bailey (1999-2003): 81 (Official)
  • Darrell Green (1983-2002): unknown (Unofficial)
• Sacks
  • Ryan Kerrigan (2011-20): 95.5 (Official)
  • Dexter Manley (1981-89): Unknown (Unofficial)
• We're throwing the defensive categories together because multiple stats for that side of the ball were not counted in some players' careers, so the rankings are a bit wonky. What's indisputable, however, is that all four of the players mentioned above are some of the best to ever play the sport. Green was one of the most iconic cornerbacks in NFL history with a slew of NFL records, both in terms of performance and career longevity. Bailey is mostly known for his time with the Denver Broncos but made an impact early in his career with Washington. Manley was a dominant pass-rusher who would have been credited with more sacks, but the plays were counted as statistics by the NFL until 1982. Kerrigan did surpass Manley's official numbers in 2020, though, adding an exclamation point to what was an exceptional career for a fan favorite.
• Who has the best chance of beating these records? The Washington player destined to surpass Green has not been drafted yet and perhaps never will be. Something similar could be said for Bailey, although his record with Washington seems far more breakable. As for the sacks, Daron Payne is the only current Washington player who could climb up the rankings, although he's currently sitting at 17th with 34.

Scoring

• Mark Moseley (1974-86): 1,206
• As the only kicker in NFL history to be named an MVP, Mosely is a legend for several reasons. He spent almost all of his 16-year career with Washington and led the league in successful field goal attempts four times.
• Who has the best chance to beat it? The NFL is drastically different from what it was in Moseley's time. Players rarely have careers as long as his, even kickers, and even fewer spend most of their time with one team. Technically, McLaurin is the closest active Washington player in career points with 234, but it will be a long time before anyone gets close to Moseley's number.