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Only 24 hours after Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said he was “tired of it,” one of his former quarterbacks, Alex Smith wasn’t shy to declare some off-the-field distractions around Ashburn.
Smith appearing as a phone guest on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday, opened up when Eisen inquired what advice might Smith have for new quarterback Carson Wentz heading to the Commanders?
Smith (laughter) “Oh man, that’s tough. I think you have to try to eliminate the noise there. You know, there is a lot of noise. There are a lot of distractions. That entire organization, everything surrounding it, and obviously deservedly. It’s been flawed for the last 20 years. There is a lot of stuff going on there, a lot of distractions. It makes it difficult to focus in on football.
But I think that is where Carson is at this stage in his career. This is kinda his make or break. He is getting one more chance to kinda be the guy. This is a team (Commanders) which has been almost desperate to get a franchise quarterback these last few years.
So, can he be that? He has got to lock in and not get distracted. Like I said, this is an opportunity; he’s got to go and make the most of it. I think it is going to be telling. Can he do that?
The Cowboys kinda ran away with that division. The Eagles are going to continue to be better and we will see what happens up in New York. But yes, can he make the most of this last opportunity to be the guy here with all of that going on?
…They have had a ton of turmoil there. I know they are trying to settle it down. It still remains to be seen if that is going to happen.”
Eisen asked if what was going on in the front office impacted Smith’s ability to play football. Smith replied, “How could it not? How could it not? All the stuff there in the organization from ownership down, head coaching and GM. There has historically been a lot of drama there.
It is a big market; obviously the capital. That organization is a really storied franchise. Yes, there is a lot of turmoil and a lot of distractions. To say the stuff going on in the building doesn’t infiltrate the locker room or out on the field would be crazy. That happens everywhere. I think that is what great organizations eliminate and the bad ones have a hard time with it.
All that noise creeps into the building. Yes, it does affect the product out on the field. The great organizations and coaches have a knack of keeping that out of the building, to quiet the noise, to decrease distractions and focus on football. But that is easier said than done.”
Here is a shorter video for Washington Commanders fans.