When the Green Bay Packers welcome the Washington Commanders to Lambeau Field for a Thursday night matchup, it won’t just be another game under the primetime lights. It will be the latest chapter in a storied history between the two franchises that stretches back more than 90 years.

The first meeting between these two teams dates all the way back to 1932, just five days after Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president. Back then, Washington was still the Boston Braves, and the Packers shut them out 21-0. Four years later, the two teams met on an even bigger stage: the 1936 NFL Championship. In a curious twist of history, Washington’s then-owner, George Preston Marshall, frustrated with Boston fans’ lack of support, refused to host the title game in his own city. The NFL moved the contest to New York’s Polo Grounds, where the Packers defeated Washington 21-6 to capture their fourth world championship.

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Over the decades, the series has produced some unforgettable moments.

On Oct. 17, 1983, Lambeau Field played host to one of the wildest games in Monday Night Football history. A shootout that ended 48-47 in favor of Green Bay and is still the second-highest-scoring game in MNF history, with a combined 11 touchdowns. On Sept. 24, 2001, Washington played at Lambeau Field in the first primetime game there after the events of 9/11, a Monday night remembered as much for its national backdrop as for the play on the field.

Now, in 2025, the Commanders return to Lambeau for their first-ever Thursday night game in Green Bay, and only the second time in Packers history they’ll play a Week 2 Thursday matchup (the last came in 2012 against Chicago). Green Bay has history on its side.

The Packers lead the all-time regular-season series 20-16-1 and have won two of the three postseason meetings. They’ve also built a fortress at home against Washington, posting a 13-5-1 regular-season record at Lambeau, including victories in each of the last six contests played in Green Bay.

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That said, Washington claimed the most recent meeting in 2022 at FedEx Field, 23-21, and recent history suggests that when these teams meet, the outcomes aren’t always close. Five of the last seven games have been decided by two touchdowns or more.

Jordan Love, along with much of the rest of the Packers’ young core, has yet to face Washington since entering the league in 2021. In fact, the newest member of Green Bay’s roster, Micah Parsons, has had the most experience against the Commanders.

In 2024, Parsons combined for 12 tackles and 4.5 sacks against Washington, pushing his career total to 32 tackles and 10.5 sacks in eight games vs. his former NFC East rival.

This year’s matchup carries added weight. It marks the first time since 2018 that the Packers open their season with two straight home games, and the first time since 2012 they’ll do so in just five days. It also adds to a demanding early schedule: five of Green Bay’s eight home games are against 2024 playoff teams (Week 1 Detroit Lions, Week 12 Minnesota Vikings, Week 17 Baltimore Ravens), including both NFC Championship Game participants, Washington in Week 2 and Philadelphia in Week 10.

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On Thursday night at Lambeau Field, the Packers and Commanders — two NFC contenders — meet in a matchup that could carry significant playoff implications later in the season. Green Bay will look to reinforce its standing among the conference’s elite, while Washington aims to build on its 2024 NFC Championship Game run by starting 2-0 in the 2025 season.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers vs. Commanders: A history lesson before primetime matchup