Commanders' star calls Dan Quinn a 'difference-maker'
Veteran tight end Zach Ertz believes the Washington Commanders have an advantage over other teams: Head coach Dan Quinn.
Ertz joined Kay Adams on "Up & Adams" this week this week and was asked to name one thing the Commanders were better at than other teams. Ertz praised his coach.
"I would say Coach Quinn is probably the best coach I've been around in front of the team and being himself, and bringing energy and holding guys accountable at the same time," Ertz said.
"I think he is truly, truly a difference-maker here in this league, and I don't know if you can say that about every single coach that they're a difference-maker with their teams. But I think Coach Quinn truly elevates all of our performances. And not only on Sundays, but truly every day. And so, for me being around him in particular has opened my eyes to how good he is. I was never with him, I never played for him before I got out here, but immediately, you knew he was a difference-maker."
Ertz has been around a long time, 13 years to be exact. He has played for some excellent head coaches and been around some truly remarkable leaders. Quinn is different. There's a reason so many players love playing for Quinn.
One underrated aspect of Quinn's leadership is his care for veteran players. Washington signed multiple veterans last season, including Ertz and Bobby Wagner. They looked like they hadn't missed a beat. Ertz played in every game for only the second time since 2018 and finished with 66 receptions and seven touchdowns.
And you wonder why a player like Von Miller signed with the Commanders. Washington has a specific plan in mind for Miller so that he can be at his best.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
NFL Trainer Shuts Down Narrative on Commanders WR Deebo Samuel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. During the offseason, one of the Washington Commanders' biggest splashes was acquiring wide receiver Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers. Before training camp gets underway, one trainer spoke out about the growing narrative surrounding the veteran wideout. As he prepares for his first season with a new team, Samuel was present for OTAs and minicamp. While there, clips of him running routes went viral online. Many called him out for his running and physical appearance, stating that he looked overweight. Since minicamp, countless people in and around the league have taken shots at Samuel over his conditioning. Upon having the chance to speak about the topic, his trainer quickly shut down any notion that he isn't ready to go for the 2025 campaign. SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. #1 of the San Francisco 49ers stands on the field during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, at... SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. #1 of the San Francisco 49ers stands on the field during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, at Levi's Stadium on December 8, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. Deebo Samuel speaks on the De'Vondre Campbell incident on the latest episode of his Bleacher Report podcast, Cleats and Convos. MoreAlso read: Commanders Viewed as Serious Threat to Win NFC East While on NFL insider John Keim's podcast, Nick Hill touched on the discourse around Samuel. He also dove into why the Commanders' new addition looked different from what many are accustomed to seeing in regards to physical appearance. "Most of my guys, they're a little bit bigger in those early offseason phases," Hill said. "They're not running as much. We're not doing as much sprint work or cardio, that's when they're putting on a bit more the media hasn't seen a lot of him in those months training because he's training with me usually. So I think that fluctuation, which is totally normal for us, and is not out of the ordinary, was just new from a media standpoint." When it comes to being ready for his first training camp with the Commanders, Hill praised the work Samuel has been putting in behind the scenes. "We're going at 6:00 in the morning every day right now," Hill continued. "He goes 6:00 in the morning, he has a speed and power lift session with me. He does an afternoon cardio session. Then he runs routes later in the evening. So he's going two, three sessions a day." Also read: NFL Insider Weighs in on Possibility of Terry McLaurin Trade Samuel, 31, is coming off a down year with the 49ers last season. However, based on Hill's confident remarks, it appears he's poised to bounce back with the Commanders. Playing alongside another dynamic receiver in Terry McLaurin and a rising star in Jayden Daniels, the pieces are in place for him to shine on a team with championship aspirations. Samuel and the rest of the Commanders' veterans are set to arrive for training camp on Tuesday, July 22nd. For more Washington Commanders and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
2 hours ago
Trump demands Washington Commanders reverse name change, threatens he will not facilitate deal for new stadium
President Donald Trump has threatened the Washington Commanders football team, stating he will not facilitate a deal for the team's new stadium to be built in Washington, D.C., if it does not revert to its former name. "My statement on the Washington Reskins has totally blown up, but only in a ver positive way. I may put a restriction on them that if they don't change the name back to the original 'Washington Redskins,' and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, 'Washington Commanders,' I won't make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington," Trump wrote on his social media platform on Sunday. In another post on Sunday, Trump called on the Commanders to "immediately" change their name. "Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. Times are different now than they were three or four years ago," Trump wrote on his social media platform. ABC News has reached out to the Commanders for comment on Trump's demands. Trump also said that the Cleveland Guardians baseball team should switch back to its old name, too, and called out Ohio Senate candidate Matt Dolan, who owns the team, claiming that he lost several elections because of the name change. "The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, who is very political, has lost three Elections in a row because of that ridiculous name change. What he doesn't understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an Election. Indians are being treated very unfairly. MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)!," Trump wrote on Sunday. The Cleveland Guardians' president of baseball operations, Chris Antonetti, said in a statement on Sunday that there have not been any plans to change the team's name, according to The Associated Press. "We understand there are different perspectives on the decision we made a few years ago, but obviously it's a decision we made. We've got the opportunity to build a brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future that's in front of us," Antonetti said. The Guardians didn't have any additional comment when asked by ABC News. With the Commanders, Josh Harris, the managing partner for the team, said earlier this year that the team would not be changing its name, according to The Associated Press. The Washington Commanders dropped its former name in July 2020 after years of complaints over its racist connotations toward Native Americans. The team adopted the generic "Washington Football Team" two weeks later, though it was only supposed to be in place for the 2020-21 season. Then in 2022, the team revealed it's new name would be the Washington Commanders. A 2020 study from the University of Michigan and the University of California, Berkeley found that at least half of more than 1,000 Native Americans surveyed were offended by Commanders' previous team name, according to UC Berkeley's website. The practice of using Native American mascots is controversial and many tribal leaders say it is dehumanizing and perpetuates stereotypes. In 2024, the Senate passed a bipartisan bill with unanimous consent that would allow the federal government to lease more than 170 acres of land at the site where the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is currently located, which would allow for the possibility of a new stadium to be built. The team currently plays at the Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The bill transfers the jurisdiction of the stadium site from the federal government to local D.C. authorities. "We are extremely grateful that our elected officials have come together on a bipartisan basis to give Washington, D.C. the opportunity to decide on the future of the RFK stadium site. This bill will create an equal playing field so that all potential future locations for the home of the Washington Commanders can be fairly considered and give our franchise the opportunity to provide the best experience for all of our fans," Harris said in a statement on Dec. 21, 2024.
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
The top training camp storylines ahead of a massive Commanders season
The Washington Commanders will report to training camp Tuesday with a sense of anticipation not felt in Ashburn for a generation or two. Fresh off a run to the NFC championship game, with one of the NFL's brightest young stars at quarterback in Jayden Daniels, the Commanders will gather with realistic aspirations of Super Bowl contention. Here are the questions and storylines they need to sort out over the next six-plus weeks before they open the season Sept. 7 against the New York Giants.
