Tag: Santana Moss

Santana Moss sees Eric Bieniemy helping the Commanders offense

Santana Moss is optimistic about the offense in 2023.

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Former Washington wide receiver Santana Moss already likes what he sees in Eric Bieniemy.

Moss was a guest on the “BMitch and Finlay” show on 106.7 The Fan radio Friday.

The former productive Washington receiver is now an employee of the Commanders’ broadcasting team. Thus, he is out at camp and has made some observations.

“If Sam Howell can go out there and not do too much, but be Sam Howell and put the ball in the right players’ hands, the sky is the limit, knowing what we have over there.”

The new addition of offensive coordinator Bieniemy is someone Moss likes thus far. Moss acknowledged, “there are players who do their homework, come to practice to work, and don’t need a coach yelling at them”.

He also acknowledged “there are some guys who are naive about what it takes to be a pro. They are good enough to be here, but they have days and weeks they are just not giving their all, and they need that coach to light a fire under them.”

“I think EB (Bieniemy) is that guy. He is going to check you at the front door and let you know ‘this is the tone I am setting. This is the level of play I expect. You come out here and give me less than that; then you best believe that you are going to hear from me.'”

“When you know you have a coach like EB that is over there and is going to say something to you about it, it makes you mindful enough to say, ‘Now I can’t have those plays, those lack in my game. I can’t have that stuff because I don’t want to hear his mouth. I don’t want him barking at me.'”

“You don’t want to have your name called out in the wrong way on the field. I don’t want to be looked at like that. So I will always be on my Ps and Qs. So, I love the fact that EB has that in him.”

“In fact, that is going to lift up everyone else around him and let them know that if I don’t come with my A–game or bring it today at practice, EB is going to be, ‘next man up.’ He is the type of guy to do that.”

When the Commanders were on the clock at No. 47…

Logan Paulsen and Fred Smoot like the Jartavius Martin pick.

When the Washington Commanders went on the clock at No. 47 in the second round, a YouTube live broadcast with Julie Donaldson and her team of analysts dove in, awaiting the selection.

Logan Paulsen asked to name a few names as the better possibilities to be the selection. Offensive linemen Cody Mauch, Tyler Steen, linebacker Daiyan Henley, and “Fred (Smoot), I think you will like this, man. I think we got Sydney Brown and Jartavious Martin. Both from Illinois, both really fun to watch on film.”

Suddenly the card was already submitted, and Donaldson read the name live, “Jartavius Martin.”  Paulsen did not hesitate to respond, “Oh, that’s a bad man right there.”

Paulsen had again nailed it as he often does. The Commanders had chosen Martin. Paulsen said he believed Martin really was the best player left on the Commanders board at this time.

Santana Moss asked if the selection of Martin was “Kam Curl insurance” if the Commanders cannot sign Curl to a contract extension.

Smoot relayed to the fans watching they need to realize 70% of the guys drafted these next two days will not be in the league in four years. So why would the Commanders reach to fill a need? No, they need to take the best player available when selecting early in a draft at No. 47. Paulsen echoed you don’t want to reach and devalue the No. 47 pick.

Moss reminded fans that those who might be upset because Washington did not select a linebacker that the team plays more packages with more defensive backs. Therefore, this pick probably makes more sense for the packages they play.

Paulsen assured fans there are offensive linemen that the Commanders will be able to select later.

But he reminded fans the draft has to fall to you, meaning that, of course, there were offensive linemen they would have loved to have drafted, but other teams in front of the Commanders wanted those players, so they are gone.

Thus the Commanders have to go with better players that fall to you. Smoot echoed this sentiment take the draft as it comes to you; get players who can contribute now.

Donaldson reminded viewers that Bobby McCain is no longer with the team, and he played many snaps the last two seasons, so the Commanders really need to ensure they can plug in players who can contribute this season where McCain did in the past.

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Every player drafted No. 16 overall in the NFL draft since 2000

Washington has had some good luck at No. 16 overall.

Since the year 2000, the Washington Commanders picked at No. 16 overall on three occasions: 2011, 2022 and the upcoming 2023 NFL draft.

Looking back at the last 23 years, there have been some excellent players to go at No. 16, including a Pro Football Hall of Famer in 2003 [Troy Polamalu]. If you go back 38 years, arguably the greatest offensive player in history — Jerry Rice – went No. 16 to the San Francisco 49ers in 1985.

In 2011, Washington picked one of the greatest players in franchise history, Ryan Kerrigan. Last year, the Commanders selected Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson in a trade-down. Dotson looked like a future star in 2022.

There’s also another player on this list who was drafted by another team and ended up being one of the best offensive players in Washington’s franchise history. Do you remember who that player is? You’ll find out soon.

Here is a look at every player selected No. 16 overall in the NFL draft since 2000.

Santana Moss: Commanders have been outcoached

Santana Moss is always positive, but he has some concerns.

Brian Mitchell was not the only one upset regarding the Commanders’ anemic performance Sunday against the Browns.

Santana Moss and JP Finlay also had strong comments they felt should be expressed as well during the NBC Sports Washington postgame show.

SM: “I consider myself the optimist about different scenarios and situations we are in. That is how you have to be with life. You can’t always just expect the worst. That is what I was giving this team, the benefit of the doubt.

But when we keep sitting here waiting for a scenario to play out (pause)… No! You have your destiny in your hands. That is the scenario. Come out here, do your job and do it well.”

“Look, I am not going to sit here and act like I have not been on teams that have stunk it up. I have. But the one thing I have done is leave it on the field. Some of those guys out there don’t deserve what we just saw. Some of those guys go out there and leave it on the field.”

“But when a coach and his staff dictates what we want to put out there, then you cannot blame the players. Collectively we have been saying this too many times down the stretch of these last few games that coaching has been standing out more than a lack of players going out there not performing.”

“I feel like every week we have been talking about someone outcoaching us. We can’t sit here and say that week-in and week-out and expect the players to go out there and give me a different outcome.”

JPF: “This is the type of loss, that in a strong organization, everything is on the table following this. You may have to completely clean house after a loss like this. Against a team that is already eliminated from the playoffs that just won this game from start to finish.”

“I don’t know the final numbers because I had to run down here (field). They were on path for their worst offensive performance since week six (Chicago). Which, I don’t think coincidentally was Carson Wentz’ last start.”

“So, just making that decision to go from Heinicke to Wentz, somebody has got to own that, and that somebody is Ron Rivera. You can criticize a billion other things, both coordinators.”

“This offensive line? I hate that I keep going back to this. Please let me know. I would love for someone to put their left hand up and let me know who decided to let Brandon Scherff walk for this collection of dudes.”

“Trent Williams, gone. Brandon Scherff, gone. You know where those guys are going? Canton! You know where this group is going? Fishing when the playoffs start. It is a complete lack of accountability from the top down. If this was a strong organization, ownership would be looking at a complete review of everything they have.”

“But this isn’t a strong organization, and we have no idea what ownership is doing. And if I had to guess, probably nothing, because the sale is coming. You know what you are not going to do with the sale coming? You are not going to fire a bunch of people, and then have to pay out their contracts.”

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Brian Mitchell: Commanders play was ‘BS’ and ‘trash’

Brian Mitchell was not holding back.

Brian Mitchell still comes to play.

Here was Mitchell on the NBC Sports Washington postgame show Sunday following the Commanders’ loss to the Browns. “If you have any connection with Washington, I don’t care if from the Redskins days, the football team and now, you have to voice your displeasure with that BS we saw on the field today! It was trash!”

Mitchell, the former Washington running back and returner, was known for his fiery, aggressive approach to each game he played in the NFL. Once the first whistle blew until the last whistle, Mitchell was aggressive, and competitive.

Consequently, Mitchell, who now is part of the “BMitch & Finlay” radio show on 106.7 The Fan weekdays, and NBC Sports Washington postgame show, expects to see the same fire from today’s Washington Commanders.

Mitchell was upset Sunday immediately following the game during his on-air appearance on NBC Sports Washington. “We take it easy in OTAs. We take it easy in minicamps. We take it easy in training camp. We approach the preseason as if we are not getting ready for a full season.”

“This year, we started slow, we got on fire, and then we finished weak like we have every year under this coaching staff.”

“For me, it is despicable to come into a game where you have to win to make it to the playoffs, and you come out today, and you stink like that. I’m sure a lot of people are going to blame Carson Wentz. But who decided to take out Taylor Heinicke and put in Carson Wentz? When every player to a man talked about how he liked playing with Taylor?”

“I don’t know what Carson was thinking about. I don’t know what the play-calling was. Garbage (pause), trash is what we saw today.”

“Santana and I played for this team. We understand you got to be honest with the fans. You folks come on here to hear us tell you what we really feel. We don’t want to just attack people. It’s time for attacking now.”

“For three years, I have heard how we are going to change the culture. The culture may be changing, but you are getting the same performance on the football field.”

“If we finish 7-9-1, how can we say that we have made any steps forward? Is this what we can expect here in Washington? Seven games? Eight games? Is this all we can expect from this staff? They got to find a way to get something better. Because right now, trash is all I see.”

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Commanders Julie Donaldson: A lifetime of preparation and development

In part three of our interview with Commanders senior VP of media and content Julie Donaldson, she discusses hiring former players such as Logan Paulsen and London Fletcher.

Part three and the final segment of Commanders Wire interview with Julie Donaldson, the Commanders senior VP of media and content.

Part one.        Part two.

Julie Donaldson was driving home one night after doing a postgame show listening to the radio. Catching the middle of a discussion she heard this guy talking about the Washington game earlier that afternoon and she instantly realized he was quite informative.

“I was driving, and I was thinking, ‘I am learning things listening to this guy that I didn’t even learn in our one-hour post-game show.'”

Hearing it was Logan Paulsen she contacted him for interest in future shows.  Paulsen is a veteran of 120 NFL games and four teams including his longest stay which was with Washington from 2010-2014.

“He is so coachable. He takes his work in the studio work seriously. He went out and bought a suit, and I think Bram had to tie his tie for him the first time. He has cut his hair; he really gets into it. I enjoy watching him grow in the studio. He keeps hitting it out of the park.”

Donaldson has been in the business for two decades now. She knows intelligence and talent when she sees it. Regarding Paulsen, she openly offered, “I just hope he doesn’t leave us.”

In becoming the department head, Donaldson quickly learned the hard way she could attempt to micromanage and do all the shows and interviews herself, keeping control.

“I really want to use a lot of people; let them do what they do well. I don’t want this to be “The Julie Donaldson Show.” It’s definitely going to be a much different conversation when Santana Moss is talking with Terry McLaurin than myself.”

“It’s great when we permit our alumni Logan, Santana, Fred Smoot, London Fletcher to dialog with each other, and the conversations that come out of that NFL experience they share.”

Part of leadership is hiring. So when DeAngelo Hall decided after two years to pursue things outside of radio, Donaldson looked for Hall’s replacement.

“London had done the postgame show the first season 2020 and voiced he really missed the game, missed being at practice, being on the field game day.”

“During his audition, he was so coachable, and I could see his desire, his willingness to work. Hey, London is in our Ring of Fame. He is a great ambassador for the team and embraced by the fan base.”

“Taking on this job I have learned you really need the right people around you, making sure you hire people who share your vision, your work ethic.”

Donaldson readily acknowledges it is also the people never on camera who are vital to a department’s success and productivity.

“Executive producer Ryan Yocum knows how to deal with the operations, and make things happen. He has really helped in what we’ve accomplished and where we are going as a team.”

“I knew I needed someone to help me, set the vision, keep us focused and let me focus on what I need to do. Ryan has really provided structure and practices into place, helping us operate much more efficiently.”

For Julie, there was more than a decade in broadcasting and reporting previously.  She was studying the business of broadcasting at the University of Florida, she was competing in Miss Florida and Miss USA pageants, graduating with honors in high school, and her mother was an elementary school teacher.

“Mom taught us, ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’  She also taught us ‘God gives people different skill sets, so grow that, take advantage of that.”

Perhaps Julie Donaldson was prepared all along for such a time as this.

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How Julie Donaldson became Commanders senior VP of media and content

Part one of our conversation with Commanders senior VP of media and content.

In July 2020, Julie Donaldson was at the gym working out, having to wear a mask because of the COVID restrictions.

She noticed her phone ringing and then ringing again, and it was her general manager at NBC Sports Washington. He explained the Washington Redskins had contacted him because Julie was still under contract. The football organization wanted to hire Julie and make her the first female regular on-air voice of the NFL Washington’s team radio broadcast.

Knowing what she had experienced and learned regarding the reputation of the organization her initial reaction was to not want to take the job. However, her general manager explained that this was quite a unique opportunity for Donaldson. These chances don’t come around frequently, as there are only so many teams. Donaldson conveyed to Commanders Wire he told her, “I think you should be open to it.”

Terry Bateman was the one officially reaching out, offering Julie the job. Following several conversations with those in and out of the organization, including both Dan and Tanya Snyder, Julie Donaldson accepted the challenge, becoming Washington’s new senior vice president of media and content.

The timing was crazy for Donaldson. The franchise was announcing the discarding of the team name “Redskins” since 1933 when the Boston Braves became the Boston Redskins. Training camp was beginning soon and the preseason was in just a few weeks.

Donaldson talked of how it was like she was thrown into the deep end right away, experiencing a baptism by fire. It was quite the rush getting things revamped as the Washington Football Team and in time for the regular season to begin.

She recalled how they suddenly needed new graphics, look, feel, “we definitely hustled to get things up in time for the season. Even more, “right away I had to get a team together and figure out whom I wanted with me.”

Chris Cooley had already previously shared with Julie that he would not be returning to the broadcast booth for the 2020 season, that decision having been made months earlier.

She quickly received hundreds of messages of congratulations and notes from many throwing their hat in the ring for the game-day broadcast analyst and play-by-play announcer positions.

One early contact was DeAngelo Hall. Julie had worked with Hall in previous years doing both pregame and postgame shows. Hall’s first TV shows had earlier actually been with Julie and seeing she already had a working relationship with Hall, and with Santana Moss as well, she felt these two former Washington players were good choices for her.

To be continued: Selecting a play-by-play announcer, other key members of her department, and growing in her role.

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Commanders’ comeback win over Colts was historic

Remember the “Monday Night Miracle?”

The Washington Commanders made history last week when running back Antonio Gibson scored the 3,000th touchdown in franchise history. The ball was sent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Commanders again made history in Sunday’s win over the Indianapolis Colts, although it was a bit different this time.

The Commanders were down 16-7 with around 11 minutes remaining in the game when quarterback Taylor Heinicke and the offense took the field. Heinicke led two scoring drives of 82 and 89 yards, respectively, leading Washington to a 17-16 win over the Colts.

According to Washington’s PR, via Elias, it was the first time in 17 years that the team overcame a nine-points or more deficit with five minutes or less remaining in the game to win since Sept. 19, 2005.

In case you didn’t remember, that was the game many Washington fans call the “Monday Night Miracle.” Remember, Washington trailed 13-0 late in the fourth quarter when quarterback Mark Brunell found Santana Moss for two deep touchdowns to stun the Cowboys on Monday Night Football.

Moss became a franchise legend that night.

Dallas safety Roy Williams went from a Dallas hero to a goat in less than five minutes. And another cool moment from that game was the legendary John Madden on the call.

You can relive that magical Washington memory by following this link.

While Sunday’s comeback win won’t remind anyone of the “Monday Night Miracle,” the comeback did bring back memories. If you’re curious as to why Washington hasn’t had a similar comeback that late over the previous 17 years, look no further than the franchise’s constant instability at quarterback.

As for Heinicke, he was surgical on those final two drives, completing 12 of 14 passes for 151 yards, had 15 rushing yards and completed both of his fourth-down attempts.

The “Monday Night Miracle” is one of the franchise’s top moments over the last 25 years.

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Washington names 10 players to franchise’s ’90 greatest’ list

Ryan Kerrigan, Trent Williams, Chris Cooley and Santana Moss were among Washington’s additions to the “90 greatest” list.

To commemorate 90 years as an NFL franchise, the Washington Commanders named 10 former greats to their “90 greatest” list on Thursday.

Washington announced nine former players and one former coach to the list at the team’s annual Welcome Home Luncheon at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill.

The list was trimmed to 10 after the organization began a fan vote in July. Here is the complete list:

  • DE Ryan Kerrigan (2011-2020)
  • LT Trent Williams (2010-2019)
  • WR Santana Moss (2005-2014)
  • TE Chris Cooley (2004-2012)
  • DT Darryl Grant (1981-1990)
  • LB London Fletcher (2007-2013)
  • CB DeAngelo Hall (2008-2017)
  • CB Champ Bailey (1999-2003)
  • DC Larry Peccatiello (1981-1993)
  • RB Stephen Davis (1996-2002)

Interestingly enough, all but Grant and Peccatiello were with Washington after owner Daniel Snyder bought the team in 1999. However, it’s difficult to dispute any of the players on the list.

Bailey is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, while Williams is still active with the San Francisco 49ers — and one of the NFL’s best offensive tackles.

Former quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III were among those on the ballot that didn’t make the final 10.

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Redskins legend Santana Moss has high hopes for Washington receiving corps

Santana Moss knows a thing or two about being a WR in the NFL, and he sees a lot of potential when it comes to the young guys in Washington.

When it comes to wide receivers who have made a name for themselves with the Washington Redskins, Santana Moss is near the top of that list. In 10 years with the team, he racked up 47 total touchdowns and over 7,800 yards.

So when he looks at the current iteration of the Redskins, now that he is in retirement, what does the Washington legend see?

Potential, and a group that could turn quite a few heads over the next couple of years.

“They have something going on, something brewing with some of those receivers, that they’re gonna do something a little differently,” Moss said on 106.7 The Fan this week. “I don’t know. I’m just saying that’s what I’m thinking because I see how people play chess sometimes.”

The talent at the top of the receiving corps is undeniable; Terry McLaurin is only entering his second year in the NFL, and his name has already been mentioned in the same sentences as Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans, Calvin Johnson, and Michael Thomas, thanks to what he did in his rookie year. However, when you look past McLaurin and focus on Steven Sims, Kelvin Harmon, and Antonio Gandy-Golden, the stats and proof may not be there, but the talent is.

“I’m just looking forward to whatever they might do,” he said. “I think they have something planned for the guys that they have that’s going to allow them to not have to lean so much on a tight end.”

If Washington’s receivers can be good enough to smooth over the fact that they have a handful of unproven TE’s on the roster, it will be fun to see what else they are capable of, and how much that allows QB Dwayne Haskins to grow as well.

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