Commander Country

Adam Carriker Helps a Young Redskins Fan who was Bullied

The power of social media is such that you can see something and it leads a great story of inspiration. That's what happened when I saw my pal and former Redskins defensive lineman, Adam Carriker, on twitter mentioning a young Redskins fan who was being bullied. Here's their story.

Chris Russell

Carriker Family Photo

Adam Carriker is one of the best guys I got to cover and develop a friendship with while covering the Redskins on a 24/7 basis from 2009 - 2015. My first crack at that apple. 

There are some players that you work around.  There are some that you get to know. For me, Carriker was one of those guys and quite honestly, I love him as a person.  

You might remember him for this hilarious moment, but the Adam Carriker I know is the real deal. 

Carriker Bet
Chris Russell

He's a gentle bear of a man, a father of six, a devoted Nebraska alum, a former first-round pick and when he was healthy, a damn good football player. 

Carriker could have done anything he wanted to do but football is a brutal sport and his quad exploded early in 2012. After many procedures, he was never able to get 100% back to the sport he loves. 

Instead he spends his days with those he loves, coaching his kids and raising them with his wife, Angie. 

So it was no surprise to me when I saw a story on his twitter feed about a young Redskins fan. But this wasn't just any fan. This was Carson. 

Carriker first talked about this sad but inspiring story on his "Carriker Live" show that he hosts, largely about Nebraska football, where he was a star. 

I reached out to Carriker on Friday for his perspective and the inside story of what Carson had been through. 

He said he first told Carson  that "fans stick with your team no matter what" and while you might feel like "you're the only one - you're not alone!"

Carriker also mentioned that he connected with Carson on a personal level because he was bullied as a kid too, always standing out for his size, saying "I was always the biggest kid." 

The former defensive lineman said a couple of Redskins players asked to reach out to Carson but it was Redskins super fan Christie Lopez that got the ball rolling from a organization perspective. 

The Redskins sent Carson a bunch of gear to lift his spirits and Carriker said Lopez "was the one that facilitated that. It wasn't me." 

Lopez and her husband, were always among a group of fans that would send off and welcome back the Redskins for every road trip. It didn't matter if it was 3 AM after a night road game or 20 degrees on a Saturday afternoon. It was always cool to see. 

"I was not raised a Redskins fan," Lopez said by phone on Saturday afternoon.  She was born and raised in South Carolina, to hate the Dallas Cowboys. She became a Redskins fan when she moved to the area and married her husband Chris, during the Joe Gibbs part two era. 

"The reason I became a fan is the community and the out-reach and how we all work together." 

Lopez called out for support on her Facebook, to get her fellow super fans from the Pro Football Ultimate Fan Association (PFUFA) to send Carson trading cards, which are known as fan cards and a note of encouragement. 

The Redskins organization saw the post and called Lopez, to say that they were sending Carson lots of cool swag. 

Carson received the package, took it to his elementary school in Nebraska and displayed it during show-and-tell, to use it as a teaching moment. Carson's Mom told Lopez that the overwhelming support from the Redskins and Redskins nation was so powerful, that Carson is going to be a part of reaching out to other kids across the NFL to help support them with any challenges they may be facing. 

Lopez and her husband, Chris,  were inducted into the PFUFA by the "Hogettes" with Chris being drafted in 2010 and Christie in 2012. They were followed in 2014 by "Tailgate Ted" who we profiled here. 

A franchise that has done a lot to disappoint many fans still has loyal die-hards like the Lopez family, along with great alumni like Carriker, who couldn't let a young Redskins fan, Carson, go through another tough day for loving the team he chooses to root for. 

Chris Russell is the Publisher of Maven & Sports Illustrated's Washington Redskins channel. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Redskins" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621.

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Chris Russell
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