Tag: BMitch & Finlay

Former Washington RB Brian Mitchell: ‘Sometimes Coach (Rivera) just talks too much’

Mitchell was discussing Rivera and his messaging on quarterback Sam Howell.

Brian Mitchell still speaks as he played… directly and aggressively.

JP Finlay and Mitchell were in a conversation with Washington Post Commanders reporter Sam Fortier Wednesday on 106.7 The Fan when Finlay lobbed that Rivera had thus far, since the season finale, spoke of the team moving forward with Sam Howell as the quarterback. Finlay noted the distinction Rivera had made Wednesday between Howell not being the starter but he is QB1.

Fortier was even bolder, saying that Rivera was “hedging, and it was double speak”. “It is trying to have it both ways,” said Fortier. He expressed he thinks Coach Ron is not yet committed to going with Howell, citing “it has been inconsistent messaging” by Rivera.

Fortier also proclaimed that Rivera needs to win this year, and “will do whatever is necessary to maximize the number of wins this year.”

Mitchell suggested the possibility that one Rivera statement saying Howell was the starter was pre-Eric Bieniemy being hired as assistant head coach/offensive coordinator, and the latest statement is after having dialogue with Bieniemy regarding Howell as the QB1 this upcoming season.

Mitchell then stated, “It is March 1. Why do we have to say who the starter is today?” “I made the comment last year, and I am going to make it again. Sometimes, Coach just talks too much. If he says less, then he doesn’t have all of these questions coming at him.”

Mitchell has been direct with his opinion of what Rivera should do or say previously. In June of 2022, Mitchell called for Rivera to hold Jack Del Rio accountable for his statements questioning the media’s treatment of the events of January 6 in contrast to the many burnings and destruction of properties in what were called peaceful protests summer of 2020.

Mitchell also made a passionate declaration for what he felt was a “trash” performance in the Commanders’ Week 17 loss to the Browns at FedEx Field.

 

Former Washington QB Joe Theismann to be featured by NFL Network

Joe Theismann will be featured on “A Football Life.”

Former Washington Redskins quarterback and Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann will be featured Friday, Sept. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on the NFL Network, “Joe Theismann: A Football Life.”

Theismann quarterbacked every game of Washington’s three consecutive seasons winning the NFC East (1982-1984). Under his leadership, Washington defeated Miami 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII becoming the NFL champions for the 1982 season.

Theismann had his best NFL season in 1983 leading Washington to another NFC championship before they lost to the Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII. In that 1983 season, Theismann was voted the AP Offensive Player of the Year and MVP.

Washington went 11-5 in 1984, again winning the NFC East as Theismann quarterbacked receiver Art Monk to a then all-time NFL record 106 receptions for 1,372 receiving yards.

Theismann was with Washington from 1974-1985. He started games in 1976 and 1977, became the full-time starter in 1978 then never missed a game until his career ended in 1985.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Theismann. It’s as flattering as anything I’ve ever had happen to me in the world of sports,” Theismann told J.P. Finlay and Brian Mitchell on 106.7 the Fan, Tuesday.

Theismann revealed that during the episode, he traveled back to his hometown in South River, New Jersey, to his old family home, and to RFK Stadium, where he won so many games with Washington and where his career suddenly was ended during a MNF game against the New York Giants in 1985.

“This stirred up memories that I guess had been filed away in my life, going back to my hometown. Seeing some of the guys I played high school football with and going into the stadium… And going back to RFK and seeing the old clock that was in the stadium, and I still remember laying on the field and looking up at the clock, and it was like 10:06 pm.”

As a starter at Notre Dame, the Irish were 20-3-2 in games started by Joe, as he passed for 4,411 yards and 31 touchdowns. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

Notre Dame sports information director Roger Valdiserri informed Theismann (then pronounced (Thees mun) they were going to launch a campaign thus altering the pronunciation to Theismann (rhyming with Heisman). He would finish second to Stanford’s Jim Plunkett in the 1970 voting. The damage being done to his name and the nation thinking it was Theismann, he has remained Theismann to this day.

Theismann was a fourth-round draft choice in 1971 by the Miami Dolphins. After playing in the Canadian Football League, he was then traded from Miami to Washington on January 25, 1974, for Washington’s first-round choice in 1976 (#17 Larry Gordon).