The old saying "If you’ve got a good thing going, don’t mess with it" holds especially true in the NFL when you have a player who is a rare, invaluable asset. Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn perfectly captured this sentiment when discussing the re-signing of linebacker Bobby Wagner.
"You want to re-sign great teammates, but you also want to re-sign great players, and when those two things are in sync, man, that's a no-brainer," said the Commanders head coach.
The importance of talent and character has built a successful Washington team in the 2024 season. Wagner, a ten-time Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer, has long been recognized as an elite linebacker in the NFL. Still, Quinn emphasizes how Wagner's leadership has made an impact on the Commanders' culture.
"The impact that Bobby made on and off the field was excellent. I can still remember we were in a tough stretch, and he was the one that stood up in front of the team, and I think that was something then that showed the leader that he is because he is soft-spoken, he's got really high standards."
Quinn also emphasized Wagner’s dedication, noting, "He's the first one in—he and Jayden—to the building every morning. But I think that shows over and over again, like how committed he is, and other people see that."
When you have a player like Wagner, who is a leader on and off the field, retaining him becomes an obvious decision. As Quinn said, "It was the ball player first, but when you can add the ball player and the teammate, and that's, that's an easy one to do."
The Commanders' decision to bring back Wagner reinforces their commitment to rebuilding the franchise, and Quinn acknowledged the significance of this move, stating, "That was really important for us, so I know for Adam [Peters] and Bobby to get that done together. Like, that's also some uniqueness there as well, and... I just think that's one of the coolest things."
Wagner’s return isn’t just about adding talent to the roster; it’s about maintaining the culture they’ve built so they can continue being a competitive team.
