The Today Show’sSavannah Guthrie had to start her Tuesday morning with “condolences” to her co-host Craig Melvin after his beloved NFL team lost in the final seconds of the game the night before. The Washington Commanders were playing at home and had been leading against the Chicago Bears for all four quarters, until the final three seconds, when the Bears attempted a 38-yard field goal. New kicker Jake Moody, who had only been elevated from the practice squad earlier that same day, kicked the winning goal and was swarmed by his teammates as the clock ran out with a final score of 25-24 for the Bears.
As The Today Show opened on Tuesday morning, viewers saw highlights of world news, including the Monday night football games, and as the camera panned to Craig and Savannah, he began by welcoming viewers: “And a very good morning to you, welcome to Today, thank you for starting your Tuesday morning with us.”
Savannah then took a deep breath, and simply looked at him and said: “Condolences,” to which Craig sighed and continued: “Oh the Commanders, and what a way to lose. A last-second field goal at home, and the Washington Commanders falling to 3-3.”
However, he remained optimistic, adding: “But by the way they’re still second in the division behind the Eagles.” The Commanders play in the NFC East division alongside the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Philadelphia Eagles.”
Craig grew up in South Carolina, but as a Washington fan, and earlier in 2025 he was surprised by his team when they sent him a No. 25 Commanders jersey to commemorate his first year as co-anchor after Hoda Kotb’s departure.
In 2021 he was inducted into the Washington Fan Ambassador Network, telling Today Show viewers: “Here’s the thing, they didn’t tell me. It was a surprise. I was upstairs, and I forgot I had this Zoom, I thought it was just a meeting, and I hop on, and there’s Coach Rivera.”
As for his roles, he joked: “Every week I’ll be involved in strategy planning sessions, I’m in charge of the offense. I’m doing some consulting.” It later emerged it was Al Roker, Craig’s co-host, who nominated Craig for the position.
Craig was also asked to announce the team’s new name in early 2022, joining then-Team President Jason Wright, then-team Captain Jonathan Allen, and Doug Williams, the first black quarterback to both start and win a Super Bowl, to share the news that the team was now known as the Commanders.
“It’s the name that has the weight and meaning befitting of a 90-year franchise…it’s something we could own and grow for the next 90 years,” said Jason.
There had been decades of pressure for the team to change the name from the Washington Redskins, a name they had used since 1937 when they moved from Boston to Washington DC.
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