Commanders Connecting Thanks to Coaching Staff Says WR Terry McLaurin

The new culture in the Washington Commanders organization starts with a highly experienced coaching staff according to wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn addresses his team. / Washington Commanders

Players are commonly referred to as being in 'shorts and t-shirts' during the early part of the offseason practices, but even without pads on it's easy to see this isn't the same Washington Commanders team that we saw walk off the field after a Week 18 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in 2024.

On the other side of that losing sideline was the winning one, and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn who was about to take his top five defense into the playoffs while the Commanders went back to the drawing board.

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When it happened is up for debate and not known publicly, but eventually Washington put Quinn on that board, and like ripples in water when a stone is cast the head coach has had a profound impact on the way his team carries themselves, practices, competes, and feels about their profession.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn addresses his team. / Washington Commanders

"The first few days we came in, we didn't really talk about Xs and Os. We talked about getting to know one another. We talked about the connection between players and why we're all in here..."

- Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders WR

But he's not doing it alone. Quinn isn't a one-man show. He's brought with him a band of experienced coaches who know how to get guys pulling in the same direction, and hopefully the right direction

"It starts with the message from our coaching staff," wide receiver Terry McLaurin told SportsCenter's Scott Van Pelt when asked about the new culture spreading through the Commanders franchise. "I think coach Quinn, the first few days we came in, we didn't really talk about Xs and Os. We talked about getting to know one another. We talked about the connection between players and why we're all in here and how do you get all these guys from different walks of life - we have coaches, (running game coordinator/running backs) coach (Anthony) Lynn who's been a head coach to (offensive coordinator) coach (Kliff) Kingsbury who's been a head coach. We got so much experience."

And it doesn't stop there. Just as coach Quinn and his staff are willing to share ownership of the team's chemistry, culture, and development with the players, they share the leadership responsibilities as well. Veteran players for the Commanders aren't expected to simply lead by example anymore, they're expected to lead through actions that help eachother and the team get better.

But you can't just hand that torch to just anyone, so coach Quinn, his staff, and general manager Adam Peters went out and brought in some key veterans this offseason.

"(Linebacker) Bobby Wagner, we got a gold jacket walking into our building," McLaurin continued. "So it's so many different elements that make up a team, but the foundation is built through the work that you put in each and every day. We've had that training and time to spend with one another since things got started."

Quinn's message to the team as they broke for one last break heading into the long summer days of training camp was to protect it. The good vibes only last as long as they allow it to, and it only takes one mistake, one member of the chain thinking of himself over the unit, to disrupt the signal.

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