Dan Quinn has talked about growing up and knowing the NFC East games, as well as what RFK Stadium and fan support were like in those days.
Monday, he began his press conference by expressing that the first thing he wanted to address was the fan support for the Commanders in Sunday’s 34-13 win over the Cleveland Browns.
“I thought, first thing I wanted to hit before we get going is wanted to start by saying to the fans, I see it and I feel it, and we don’t take that feeling at all lightly.”
Suddenly, Quinn shifted to alerting all the DMV fan base that he was serious and was not simply regurgitating some coach’s speech to manipulate the fans or anyone else.
“I know it can sound like coach speak a bit to thank the fans for showing up, but in this instance, this ain’t coach speak. So, it’s the true speak. We enjoyed it and we had like a hell of a time with you, so thank you guys for bringing the energy you brought. We were absolutely dripping in it, and it was really cool to be a part of.”
As Washington fans grew increasingly frustrated with previous owner Daniel Snyder and with the team’s continued production of losing seasons, the number of home fans decreased at home games.
Visiting teams’ fans continued to snatch up the tickets, becoming the majority in the stands at the former FedEx Field in Landover. This was discouraging and frustrating for the players.
Quinn talked about how he enjoyed the environment on Sunday.
“You know, I had the best seat in the house, man. I had a 360-degree view of all of it, and it was really cool to see, and I didn’t want to miss it either. To feel the energy, that part of the third down, some false starts that went along with that and some offsides. That was absolutely caused from the crowd noise. So, when we talk about a home-field advantage, that’s what we’re talking about and the energy they bring to the team. It was really cool man. So, for me, having that front row seat and 360-degree view of it, I wasn’t going to miss it. And I could hear them, I could feel them, I could see it, the whole thing.”
Joe Gibbs used to take time out from time to time to thank the fan base, calling them the best fans in the NFL. Those days are long gone and won’t easily be reproduced.
However, Sunday marked a new beginning, and perhaps because this team has marked a new beginning this year. There is excitement and energy both on the field and now in the stands as well.