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Commanders Cut Sam Hartman as Quarterback Competition Comes to an End
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- Commanders Cut Sam Hartman as Quarterback Competition Comes to an End
Photo by: Tommy Gilligan
Sam Hartman 's time with the Washington Commanders has come to an end.
Washington waived Hartman on Sunday as the team finalized its 53-man roster ahead of the 2026 NFL season. The move ends Hartman's run with the organization after he joined the Commanders as an undrafted free agent in 2024.
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Hartman spent most of his time in Washington on the practice squad and never appeared in a regular-season game for the Commanders. He entered training camp this summer competing for a spot in Washington's quarterback room, hoping to finally earn an opportunity on an NFL active roster.
The former Notre Dame quarterback faced competition from rookie Athan Kaliakmanis, a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After the preseason, Washington ultimately decided that Kaliakmanis had done enough to earn the third quarterback job behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota .
Hartman's release is another difficult moment for a player who has spent the past two seasons trying to establish himself in the NFL. Before entering the league, Hartman was one of college football's most experienced quarterbacks, playing at both Wake Forest and Notre Dame.
His college career gave him plenty of experience and made him an intriguing prospect when he entered the NFL, but finding a roster spot proved difficult. With Washington choosing to keep Kaliakmanis, Hartman was left on the outside looking in.
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The good news for Hartman is that his NFL opportunity may not be over.
After being waived, Hartman could draw interest from other teams looking for quarterback depth. He could also potentially return to Washington's practice squad. In fact, reports on Monday indicated that the Commanders were bringing Hartman back to their practice squad after he cleared waivers.
For now, Hartman's 53-man roster opportunity has ended, but his football career continues.
The next step will be proving that he still deserves another opportunity to compete for an NFL roster spot — whether that comes in Washington or elsewhere.
