For Dale Earnhardt Jr., his love for Washington football runs deep. Well, deeper than most might guess. It all started back in 1983, on his 9th birthday, when his mom surprised him with more than just the helmet he’d asked for. She went all in with the entire Washington Redskins uniform: pads, pants, jersey, everything.

On that day, Dale Jr. formally swore allegiance to the team, a commitment that has endured through decades of highs, lows, and rebuilds. However, even the most devoted supporters have their breaking points, and Dale Jr.’s feelings were anything from composed following the events of Washington’s most recent game. On his podcast, the NASCAR legend couldn’t hide the heartbreak that came with one gut-wrenching, late-game mistake.

Washington’s fumble breaks Dale Jr.’s heart

After watching his beloved Washington Commanders lose to the Chicago Bears 25–24 in a late-game collapse that severely damaged their chances of making the playoffs, Dale Earnhardt Jr. admitted, “My heart is broken. Seriously, my heart is broken. Had about two minutes left in the game. One yard away from a first down, which would have probably run the clock down and fumbled the handoff.”

With just about two to three minutes left and the Commanders leading by two, a botched handoff between Jayden Daniels and Jacory Croskey-Merritt at Chicago’s 34-yard line resulted in a devastating fumble. The Bears scooped up the ball and drove for the winning field goal with seconds remaining, sealing an improbable comeback.

“I just lost the ball— completely my fault. I didn’t give Bill a chance, so it was my fault,” said Daniels. Even Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn said, “Honestly, it wasn’t just that play, like there’s plenty in there to go and…. we just didn’t regard it like we can.” He added, “And so that’s the lesson and it stings and we’ve got to grow from them.”

This loss stung even more considering the teams’ recent history. “That one hurt last night because that was against the Bears, who we had the Hail Mary against,” Dale Jr. said, heartbroken, recalling the prior matchup where Washington miraculously won on a last-second Hail Mary.

“You know the Bears are probably sitting there thinking, ‘Well, we should have beaten you twice. You got lucky once.’” The rivalry is riding high, with both fan bases having tasted heartbreak and elation in back-to-back thrillers.

For Washington, the defeat highlighted a painful truth about life as a sports fan. “If you didn’t give a s— though, it wouldn’t matter,” Dale Jr. reflected. “The good times are good, but then you got to go through the c— when it ain’t good.”

Sitting at 3-3 after the loss, Washington now faces an uphill climb in the NFC East, while Bears fans savor payback. With tough games ahead, both teams will need to learn from these emotional moments as they fight to keep their playoff dreams alive.

NASCAR executive slams Dale Jr.’s empire

NASCAR’s communications director, Mike Forde, recently leveled blunt criticism at Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Dirty Mo Media, accusing the influential brand of relying too heavily on controversy-driven engagement. “Sometimes Dirty Mo trades on negativity to get engagement,” Forde noted during a discussion on the ‘Door Bumper Clear’ podcast.

He highlighted a troubling trend where nuanced conversations are reduced to short, sensationalist snippets for viral impact. Forde argued that this editing approach distorts the original intent of thoughtful NASCAR dialogue, blurring the line between authentic storytelling and clickbait exploitation.​

Forde’s comments have sparked debate among NASCAR insiders and fans, especially given Dirty Mo’s role in amplifying the sport’s most dramatic moments. He explained, “The issue isn’t with what Dirty Mo posts, but how it packages its content.”

Forde acknowledges that he and Dirty Mo Media President Mike Davis have had discussions on several occasions about striking a balance between audience development and appropriate journalism. He is concerned that, despite its success in reaching younger people, this paradigm runs the risk of transforming sincere discussion into fodder for fan indignation and social media conflict.

It wasn’t just criticism, though. Forde also acknowledged Dirty Mo Media’s significant contributions to increasing the accessibility and popularity of NASCAR drivers in spite of his critiques, citing the organization’s extensive podcast library, which includes ‘The Dale Jr. Download’ and ‘Actions Detrimental with Denny Hamlin.’ However, he emphasized that success shouldn’t come at the expense of distorting reality with negativity-fueled highlights.

The moral conflict between interacting with fans and upholding integrity is a reflection of the changing difficulties that motorsports media face in the digital era. The way platforms craft narratives in the competition for users’ attention may have long-term consequences for the sport’s reputation and culture.