Tag: Joe Gibbs

Commanders WR Terry McLaurin named Touchdown Club Player of the Year

McLaurin won the award at Joe Gibbs’ Burgundy and Gold banquet.

Peyton Manning was in the Washington, D.C., area on Thursday as the featured speaker at Joe Gibbs’ Burgundy and Gold Banquet for his Youth For Tomorrow foundation.

It’s always a big deal when Manning is involved, and he was asked about the current state of the Washington Commanders. Manning really likes quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has attended his family’s Manning Passing Academy.

“I’m a big fan of your quarterback,” Manning said. He then joked that he was going to pick Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin for his fantasy team.

McLaurin was on hand, too, as he was honored as the Touchdown Club’s Player of the Year. Daron Payne won the award last year.

Manning has long admired McLaurin, who is from Indianapolis, where Manning played the first 14 seasons of his NFL career.

“I’m a big fan of Terry; he’s an Indianapolis kid. I knew about him in high school,” Manning said.

It was a tough year for the Commanders in 2023, finishing 4-13. However, McLaurin did go over 1,000 for the fourth consecutive season, reaching the mark in Washington’s final game.

Peyton Manning a big fan of Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin

Peyton Manning is a big fan of Jayden Daniels.

Peyton Manning knows ball. While Manning has many interests outside of football, the Pro Football Hall of Famer remains close to the game due to his Monday night broadcasting career alongside his brother Eli.

On Thursday, Manning was in the Washington area as the featured speaker at Joe Gibbs’ Youth For Tomorrow event. So, of course, Manning was asked about the hometown team.

First, he discussed Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin. Manning said he’s known McLaurin for a long time because Washington’s star wide receiver is from Indianapolis, where he spent the first 14 seasons of his NFL career.

“I’m a big fan of Terry; he’s an Indianapolis kid. I knew about him in high school,” Manning said, per JP Finlay of NBC Washington and 106.7 The Fan.

Manning also joked that he would be taking McLaurin and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels on his fantasy team.

As for Daniels:

“I’m a big fan of your quarterback,” Manning said. He then went on to say he got to know Daniels last year at his family’s Manning Passing Academy camp.

You can add Manning to the list of those impressed by Jayden Daniels.

Former Washington DT Kedric Golston to coach one of Virginia’s top high school programs

Golston played 11 years for Washington and will now coach one of Virginia’s top HS programs.

Kedric Golston spent all 11 of his NFL seasons with the Washington Redskins. A sixth-round pick in the 2006 NFL draft by the legendary Joe Gibbs, Golston appeared in 153 career games for Washington.

Golston was an active member of the community during his playing career, and after retirement, he remained in the DMV community. Golston, who played at the University of Georgia, owns a real estate company in Northern Virginia and is co-owner of a Pilates studio with former teammate Lorenzo Alexander.

Now, Golston has another job in the DMV.

Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn named Golston head coach on Monday. Golston replaced Mickey Thompson, who had been Stone Bridge’s coach since the school opened in 2000. In his 24 years, Thompson led the Bulldogs to 19 district titles, 16 regional championships and three state championships.

Golston has worked as an assistant coach since his retirement and now has the opportunity to coach one of the state of Virginia’s top high school programs while remaining in the area.

Stone Bridge is the alma mater of current Washington Commanders star defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.

 

Watch college highlights of new Commanders TE Ben Sinnott

Ben Sinnott’s college highlights are a fun watch.

Despite signing veteran Zach Ertz in free agency, the Washington Commanders knew heading into the 2024 NFL draft they needed to add talent at tight end.

So, in the second round, with the No. 53 overall pick, Washington selected Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott. Sinnott was considered by many to be the second-best tight end in the draft behind Georgia’s Brock Bowers. Sinnott was a versatile offensive weapon during his time at Kansas State, as he could play tight end, fullback, or split out wide.

In his review of Sinnott, former Washington tight end Chris Cooley praised Sinnott for his ability as a receiver and blocker. He offered the ultimate praise, saying legendary head coach Joe Gibbs would love Sinnott.

While Ertz will begin the season atop the depth chart, the Commanders will likely use plenty of 12 personnel, meaning two tight ends will be on the field simultaneously. Sinnott will be factored into offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s plans immediately.

Let’s look at some of Sinnott’s college highlights from his time at K-State.

What does Chris Cooley think of new Commanders TE Ben Sinnott?

“Joe Gibbs would love Ben Sinnott.”

“If he is wearing No. 47, we are identical.”

That was Chris Cooley’s first reaction when watching film of the Commanders’ second-round choice (No. 53 overall), Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott.

Cooley was a guest Friday on the “The Kevin Sheehan Show” podcast and gave his film review of the tight end the Commanders drafted last week.

“He is what Joe Gibbs used to call an H-back; he’s versatile,” added Cooley.

Cooley said what he really liked initially about Sinnott was that he is flexible. The Commanders will be able to split Sinnott out wide. He can play in a tight split, a wing split, full back, tight, and next to the quarterback in the shotgun. Cooley concluded that K-State using Sinnott in so many positions reveals the young man is an intelligent player.

Pointing to his 4.68 at the Scouting Combine, Cooley praised his running of routes, “He is clearly a big-time target,” saying it was fun to watch him.

Cooley also praised Sinnott for being a hands-catcher of the ball rather than a chest-catcher. The former Washington tight end loved Sinnott’s ability to catch the ball at the high point and praised his vertical jumping ability.

A former wrestler, Cooley is fully aware of playing another sport at a high level and how this develops you athletically. He and Sheehan both pointed to the newest Commander also playing a lot of tennis and hockey as well as football.

Cooley was also excited about his ability to make some awesome runs after the catch as an H-back. He elaborated, saying Sinnott is tough to bring down and has that toughness to run through everything.

Seeing the Commanders will be able to line up Sinnott in multiple positions, Cooley pointed out that it also presents another challenge for the defense because your personnel becomes more unpredictable.

As for a weakness? Cooley feels Sinnott in his blocking needs some work in his hands and footwork early on in a block, saying he was not technically sound in some of the film.

However, Cooley was also quick to say that Sinnott made many good blocks. Thus, he was encouraged, saying Sinnott is certainly willing to block and will therefore improve his technique as his NFL career progresses.

“I will tell you right now, Joe Gibbs would love Ben Sinnott. This would be his guy. He would draft this guy. This is his H-back who can play receiver and tight end. He is a versatile tight end.”

Dan Quinn wants Commanders to be ‘explosive and physical’

Quinn discusses Joe Gibbs and looks forward to coaching Jon Allen and Daron Payne.

Dan Quinn knows fellow NFL players and coaches can become life-long friends.

Friday, while a guest on the “Kevin Sheehan Show” (The Team 980), Quinn spoke of “this connection you have with them going through it together. A guy there is hurt, battling, going through it; those are really cool moments where you see what somebody is made of.”

He talked of how, in NFL football, “they get pushed to the absolute limit. When you put it all out there and be willing to step all the way out there to the edge, that is not easy. When you are in that environment, you do get closer and connected. If you really stay tight, that bond is not changing in three months or three years or thirty years. You can slip back into that conversation knowing, ‘hey man, we did it together, walked through it together’. There is a respect that comes through those moments that you never lose.”

Sheehan inquired if Dan had reached out to the franchise’s most successful coach Joe Gibbs, before taking this job. Quinn shared that he had actually visited with Gibbs prior to his taking the Atlanta Falcons job. “The reason I had asked to meet with him was because he had the most unique background of having much success with different quarterbacks. I really wanted to find out why.”

Indeed Gibbs remains the only NFL coach to win three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks (Joe Theismann, Doug Williams, Mark Rypien. In addition, none of the three will ever be a Hall of Famer.

“I wanted to find out what were some of the important things to him at the time. I didn’t meet with him this time, but it was certainly nice to get a call from him after I was already here.”

When Sheehan asked Quinn what he was learning about the Commanders’ current roster, Quinn responded, “Certainly defensive tackle, that is the strength. Those two (Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne) are tough to block in a lot of ways…I can’t wait to coach both of them honestly.”

Quinn expressed that over the next two weeks, all the coaches will be looking at the film of the Commanders and evaluating, what are the best skills of the players and in what ways they can be most utilized.

The new sheriff is going to be making his message clear to his staff and then players. He conveyed to Sheehan what he is looking for the identity of this team to become, “You want to be explosive and physical. That is what you keep looking for. Is it demonstrated on tape?”

WATCH: New Commanders coach Dan Quinn calls Joe Gibbs

Dan Quinn showing love to Coach Gibbs.

Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs is the most important person in the Washington NFL franchise’s 92-year history. Gibbs brought the franchise its three Super Bowl championships — with three different quarterbacks — and he came back for a second stint 20 years ago and took Washington to the playoffs twice in four seasons.

Every coach is measured against Gibbs, and no one measures up. Gibbs comes to at least one Washington game each season and has developed a close relationship with new owner Josh Harris.

On Monday, the Commanders introduced their new coach, Dan Quinn. Unfortunately, Gibbs wasn’t in attendance in Ashburn, but that didn’t stop Quinn from calling the legendary coach.

Gibbs has impacted every life he’s touched over the years. And when Quinn was head coach of the Falcons, Gibbs impacted his life, too, something he never forgot.

Andy Reid applauds Chiefs’ mental toughness through long seasons

#Chiefs head coach Andy Reid applauded his team’s mental toughness through long seasons after Kansas City’s win over the #Ravens.

The familiar sound of the Kansas City Chiefs as AFC champions heading into a Super Bowl will never get old for the team’s many fans in Western Missouri. Experiencing this level of success is nearly impossible to keep up in today’s rapidly moving free-agency and trade market.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has devoted over 25 years to his craft and has seen almost everything in the league. He appreciates his player’s efforts annually, from rookie mini camps to this point. He explained the grind to reporters in his postgame press conference on Sunday.

“It’s tough the back-to-back-to-back seasons, that’s a tough thing,” Reid explained. “We played a lot of football games, and you’ve got to work through that. You [have] got to work through that mentally; that’s not an easy thing. So, I’m so happy for the guys and how they handled that.

“When it came time to put the hammer down, they put the hammer down, which was important. The best part is we’re not done; we’ve got another game, and you love the seasons to carry on as long as they can possibly carry on. We’re there, and now we gotta get right back at it. And start grinding for whoever wins us this game here.”

Since the 2018 season, the first with Mahomes as the starter, the Chiefs have played in the AFC Championship game and will now appear in their fourth Super Bowl. Reid acknowledges the toll playing late into seasons can have on a veteran team and understands the target on his players’ backs as they still overcome it and succeed.

“What you get is everybody’s best shot. So every week, you’re gonna get the best shot,” Reid said. “There are no games off for that stuff. Not in the NFL anyway, but they’re no games off. There’s no light opponent. You’ve got to bring it every week. So, again, to be in this position, that tells you a little bit something about the mental makeup of this football team.”

Reid is tied for third in most Super Bowl appearances for a head coach. He can join Joe Gibbs, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh, and Bill Belichick as the only head coaches with three rings if the Chiefs are victorious in Super Bowl LVIII.

Former Washington linebacker Antonio Pierce is the new head coach of the Raiders

Pierce began his career with Washington and was an excellent linebacker before he was allowed to walk in 2005.

The Las Vegas Raiders made it official on Friday: They were hiring interim coach Antonio Pierce as the franchise’s new head coach.

Pierce, 45, began the 2023 NFL season as the Raiders’ linebackers coach but was promoted to interim coach when the team fired Josh McDaniels. Pierce did an outstanding job, leading the Raiders to a 5-4 record with some impressive victories, including a Christmas Day win over the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.

Several Las Vegas players, including stars like defensive end Maxx Crosby and wide receiver Davante Adams, made it clear to everyone the players wanted Pierce back.

It’s been quite the journey for Pierce. An undrafted free agent out of Arizona in 2001, he signed with the then-Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent. It was Marty Schottenheimer who identified Pierce. He started eight games as a rookie and was a key member of Washington’s special-teams units.

It was the 2004 season in which Pierce had his breakout year. Under the legendary Joe Gibbs and new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, Pierce started all 16 games as Washington’s middle linebacker. He was the linchpin on the NFL’s No. 3 defense that season. It was the perfect time for Pierce to enter free agency, too.

Antonio Pierce #58 of the Washington Redskins. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

He wanted to return, and the team seemed to want him to return. Unfortunately, the team lowballed Pierce, allowing him to hit free agency and enjoy a terrific five-year run with the Giants before he retired in 2010.

Pierce started a TV career after retiring but instead pivoted to coaching. He began as a high school coach in California before accepting a position as linebackers coach under Herm Edwards at Arizona State. After two years as a linebackers coach, he was co-defensive coordinator for one season before moving into the role alone in 2021.

In 2022, Pierce accepted his first NFL coaching position with the Raiders.

It’s been an incredible journey for Pierce, who earned the job with his results and outstanding leadership.

Congratulations to the former Washington linebacker.

Can the Commanders next head coach break the losing cycle?

Can Washington’s next head coach produce a winner?

The Washington Commanders are moving on, looking for a new head coach soon, perhaps in the next couple of weeks.

Ron Rivera’s firing reminded all Washington fans that Rivera, in his four seasons (2020-23), did not achieve a single winning season. By not having a winning season for Washington, Rivera joined Jim Zorn, Steve Spurrier, and Marty Schottenheimer as coaches under Dan Snyder, who did not post a winning record.

Zorn (2008-09) was 12-20,  as was Spurrier (2002-03) 12-20, with Schottenheimer finishing 8-8 in his lone season in Washington (2001).

Achieving winning seasons has been difficult in Washington since Dan Snyder took over the ownership. But it has been done.

Norv Turner in Snyder’s first season (1999) led Washington to a 10-6 record and the NFC East title. But Turner did not survive the next season, being fired during an 8-8 season. It’s often forgotten that Turner had two other winning seasons prior to Snyder’s arrival. His team won in 1996 (9-7) and 1997 (8-7-1).

The next winning season in Washington was 2005 when Joe Jackson Gibbs felt so bad for the franchise’s struggles he risked his own reputation and came back to coach the Redskins for four seasons. Gibbs also added a winning season in his last NFL coaching year (2007) when Washington was 9-7 and a Wild Card team. His 2005 team was the last Washington team to win a playoff game.

Mike Shanahan’s team got hot down the stretch, winning their last seven games and finishing 10-6 in 2012. It was Shanahan’s (2010-13) only winning season in Washington, as Robert Griffin refused to run the same offense and proceeded to never develop as a pocket passer in the NFL. By 2015, Washington was attempting to trade Griffin and had no takers.

Jay Gruden (2014-19) actually had two winning seasons, while Kirk Cousins was the quarterback in Burgundy and Gold. Washington was 9-7 in 2015 and 8-7-1 in 2016. Washington has not had a winning season since Gruden was the head coach and Cousins the starting quarterback.

Finally, let the record display that Joe Gibbs (1981-92) was 124-60 under Jack Kent Cooke. Then in the playoffs Gibbs coached in 5 NFC championship games, 4 Super Bowls and won three of those Super Bowls.

Here’s to hoping the next Washington coach has a winning record.