Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner has a chance to make history in Sunday’s regular-season finale at the Philadelphia Eagles.

Only two linebackers in NFL history have ever finished their careers with 2,000 or more tackles: Ray Lewis and London Fletcher. Lewis was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, with Fletcher somehow seemingly still not in Canton. Wagner has 1,995 career tackles. With five tackles against Philadelphia, Wagner will join Lewis and Fletcher.

Advertisement

The NFL didn’t recognize tackles as an official statistic until 2001.

In his 14th NFL season, Wagner has started every game for Washington since joining the team in March 2024. On Sunday, he’ll have started all 34 regular-season games since signing with the Commanders and all three playoff games. Not only that, Wagner never leaves the field, having played almost every defensive snap.

Wagner’s arrival in Washington in 2024 led to the franchise’s best season in 33 years. Coming off a 4-13 season in 2023, the Commanders went 12-5 in 2024, reaching the NFC Championship Game. Wagner played a huge role in Washington’s turnaround, both on the field and in the locker room. While he’s lost a step or two on the field, his football IQ keeps him there. The Commanders’ defense is one of the league’s worst with Wagner on the field. Imagine how bad it would be without Wagner?

Throughout Washington’s run last season, when the defense needed a big play, Wagner was always seemingly there. He’s still making plays in 2025.

Advertisement

There are many reasons why the Commanders never take Wagner off the field. For one, he’s still one of their best players, regardless of his performance in coverage. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly in such a difficult season, is the standard he sets for younger players. When younger players see Wagner, a future member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in the film room on the day after the game in a 4-12 season, he sets the standard.

Washington hopes this season proves to be an outlier, but the hope is that the culture Wagner helped establish in 2024 lasts for years to come.

On Sunday, barring injury, Wagner will add another

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Bobby Wagner chasing history in Week 18