Commanders had unfortunate locker room issue after loss to Giants

Oct 15, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A Washington Commanders helmet on the bench against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Commanders suffered one of their most disappointing losses of the season on Sunday, and things did not get much better for them when they got to the locker room afterward.

Sam Howell threw three interceptions as Washington lost 31-19 to the Tommy DeVito-led New York Giants. To add insult to injury, players were unable to take hot showers after the game. A Commanders official said there was an issue with the main water heater at FedExField that could not be fixed during the game.

Giants’ and Commanders’ locker rooms at FedEx Field have no hot water for showers.

A Commanders’ official said: “We had an equipment failure in the main water heater that provides hot water to the field level locker rooms. We can’t resolve the matter without completely shutting…

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 19, 2023

“We had an equipment failure in the main water heater that provides hot water to the field level locker rooms,” the official told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “We can’t resolve the matter without completely shutting off the water to the stadium, which is why it couldn’t be repaired in game.”

Giants players dealt with the same issue, but a cold shower probably is not as bad after a victory. The Commanders needed to wash the stench from a brutal loss away, and they could not do that.

Washington was a 9-point favorite entering Sunday’s game. They badly needed the win to stay in postseason contention. The lack of hot water was a fitting end to a brutal day.

Of course, players who have experience with FedEx Field are probably accustomed to things going wrong.