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The Washington Commanders know what they have in wide receiver Terry McLaurin. That’s why Washington made sure to pay McLaurin last offseason, making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid receivers.
On the field, McLaurin is phenomenal. Despite catching passes from 10 quarterbacks through four NFL seasons, McLaurin still has three 1,000-yard seasons on his resume — barely missing a fourth in his rookie season with bad QB play.
For as valuable as McLaurin is on the field, his value on the practice field, in the locker room and in the community is truly what sets him apart — much like defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.
Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy spoke with the media Thursday after OTAs and was asked about his early impressions of McLaurin. Bieniemy didn’t hold back.
“Ultimate professional,” Bieniemy answered. “Does a hell of a job of showing up to work every single day. You want everybody to be like Terry, Terry works his tail off. He sets an example by his work ethic and what he does. He’s also a man of his word. So, I mean, I knew about him when he came out of Ohio State. We watched a lot of tape on him when he was coming out, but loved the man, loved the character, and I am enjoying the professional football player.”
Bieniemy now knows what every Washington coach, player and fan has known since 2019: Terry McLaurin is a special dude.
Head coach Ron Rivera has been criticized for multiple things since taking over in 2020. Some criticisms are more than fair. There is one specific area in which Washington fans should be thankful for Rivera. He’s chosen to keep the right players.
Rivera talks about culture and building things right. To do that, you not only need good football players, but good football players who have strong leadership qualities, perform on the field and are respected off the field. McLaurin, Allen and Daron Payne are perfect examples of players you push to retain.