Magic Johnson knows how quickly a game can turn on one decision. The 5x NBA Champ made his name as one of the elite decision-makers in crunch situations for the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, as a minority owner of the Washington Commanders, he has watched his NFL team lose a chance to win in overtime on Sunday because of a clock management failure. It left even the most basic step undone.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
The Lakers legend voiced that frustration after the Commanders’ 27-27 tie with the Giants.
Posting on his X handle, Johnson wrote, “I’m in total disbelief my Commanders had such poor clock management in today’s overtime game against the Giants. All we had to do was kick the field goal and we would have won the game!” with a facepalming emoji.
Magic Johnson invested roughly $240 million for a 4% stake in the franchise when Josh Harris’ ownership group completed its $6 billion purchase in 2023. His reaction was notable because he is more than a high-profile supporter. The stakes are high. He has money invested in the team and has spoken about wanting the organization to win.
Now, the technicalities. The Commanders’ final possession explains the anger.
The team reached the Giants’ 24-yard line with 12 seconds left in overtime and no timeouts. The Commanders ran a play at second-and-eight, but Jayden Daniels, returning after missing two games with a dislocated left elbow, was sacked for 0 yards by Tremaine Edmunds.
A field goal attempt would have been around 42 yards, giving kicker Drew Stevens a chance to end the game. But the clock continued to run, and the offense could not get lined up in time to spike the ball before the game expired.
The opportunity came after the Giants had thrown away a chance of their own. The New York side reached the Commanders’ 24 in overtime. But they chose not to attempt a field goal after rookie Dominic Zvada had missed three earlier tries from 50, 57, and 46 yards.
Running back Cam Skattebo then fumbled, and Washington recovered. An opportunity to seal the night. Yet they could not finish it.
Head coach Dan Quinn accepted responsibility. “The right call is honestly like we can go clock it early and don’t put ourselves in that spot,” he said. “That’s my responsibility.”
At the same time, Jayden Daniels also took the blame.
He said, “We have to stop the clock. We have to know the situation. We have to relay that as an offense. It starts with everyone, top down. Ultimately, it’s on me.”
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin called the final play “unacceptable.”
Giants coach John Harbaugh had an interesting statement to offer: “I’m happy it wasn’t a loss, and I’m sad it wasn’t a win.”
For Magic Johnson, this is a jarring contrast with the progress the Commanders briefly showed after the ownership change. The team went 12-5 in 2024 and reached the NFC Championship Game, then fell to 5-12 in 2025.
Their 1-3-1 start this season has left them with little room for another missed chance. The tie kept New York atop the NFC East at 3-1-1.
Magic Johnson is not the team’s football decision-maker. But his public reaction underscores that the ownership group’s expectations are now tied to what happens on the field.
While HC Quinn accepted the responsibility, the Commanders still need a clear end-of-the-game protocol. The sideline must make that choice clear before the next snap.
Daniels’ return was productive, but it cannot erase the wasted chance.
The Commanders’ next game is a Monday night trip to face the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 19. The team has time to correct the details, but their Week 5 finish has made the immediate challenge plain: turn close games into wins and stop giving away chances that should be theirs.