It is not unusual to find employees who are more interested in their day off than the energy they spend on working days.
That is not the case with Commanders’ linebacker Bobby Wagner.
Thursday, during his time with the local media, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. expressed that Tuesdays are a player’s day off. However, not for Wagner. Wagner, on his own, volunteers to come in and spend time studying the next opponent.
“He studies more than anybody,” said Whitt. “Bobby’s in there (film room) as long as we are on players’ day off Tuesday. When we coaches are talking run game or pass game, I can go in there and talk to him.”
Is this a simple, quick run-through of the opponent’s last game? Oh no, Whitt expressed that Wagner makes a day of it.
“He’s there the whole day, watching film on his own. Then he makes the linebackers come in part of the day and watch with him.”
“That’s what makes him special. That’s why he is going to have that jacket on, when he gets finished playing.”
Whitt talked about Wagner really being a coach on the field. For instance, when the Bears were in uptempo, four different times, Wagner went ahead and called the defense without waiting for Whitt. Whitt said each time, Wagner made the right defensive call. Whitt also expressed he has enough confidence in Wagner that he had previously given the green light to Wagner to make some calls if the game speed demanded it.
The Commanders’ defense has improved in recent weeks, and Wagner really is another coach on the field—and it shows.