The Washington Football Team experienced the type of season in 2020 most other teams haven’t had to endure. Cancer, COVID-19, quarterback drama, injuries, and a topsy-turvy organizational climate all threatened the club’s success.
All the way down to the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year , now-retired QB Alex Smith, throwing barbs at the organization on his way out, 2020 was a season many will never forget.
To imagine it all ended with a division title and testing the eventual Super Bowl champion Bucs in the playoffs … seems a little unreal. But it happened, and while the growth experienced is gold, coach Ron Rivera wants to make sure his team of survivors knows the fight isn’t over.
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“To me, you went through a tough situation,” Rivera said speaking to media on Thursday. “You found an ability to reach down and find something to help you get through that. And that’s stuff you build on. But if for whatever reason we come out and say, ‘Well, we arrived. Man, we got this.’ Then we’re not going to get better. …
“That’s what I’m concerned about and that’s what I want to feel good about when we get ready to play that first regular-season game.”
Creating competition has been a goal. Combined with the return of some injured contributors from 2020 and the hunger of rookies looking to get their careers started with a bang, the Washington Football Team appears poised to make some more noise in 2021.
It hasn’t come easy though, as Rivera said. Even for some of the veterans on the team, their status and ability to carry the franchise into its next chapter have been doubted.
One person specifically? Safety Landon Collins, whose status was questioned by many outside the organization – or at least it was until his play started to silence all doubters. With Collins on board with positive changes, it’s clear the players and coaches are operating on a similar wavelength. This was something Rivera said would go a long way to helping the group reach its goals.
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Said Rivera: “Landon has done a great job adjusting. … He’s gone through three different systems. … I appreciate the fact that he’s noticed it because one of the things we are trying to do is … change things and put things in a position where we accomplish what our intent is, and that is to build a sustainable winning culture.”
