Things are not looking promising for the Washington Commanders right now. They were among the playoff challengers heading into the campaign after their memorable run to the NFC Championship game. To say these expectations haven't been met would be an understatement.
The Commanders are on a road to nowhere right now. They have a better chance of getting a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft than making the postseason. Injuries haven't helped, but something feels off and has been like that for a long time.
There are still games to get through. Everyone needs to pull in the same direction, and veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner issued a passionate rallying cry to the locker room in his quest to keep spirits high.
Bobby Wagner thinks Commanders have enough belief left to improve
Wagner isn't giving up, and he'll be demanding the same from his teammates. He's striving for improvement, and he also thought belief remained high enough across the franchise for improvements to arrive in the not-too-distant future.
"I think a lot of that is just your mentality. That's the easy way to go, is to say, 'why me?' The harder way is to just keep your head up and figure out how you can make the most of the situation so that's what my energy is toward and that's what I believe. Just the players believing, the coaches believing, the city believing. A lot of it is just belief and doing the work. A lot of times work takes care of a lot of stuff."
Bobby Wagner via Commanders.com
The future first ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer has been around long enough to stay composed amid the chaos. Wagner is a beacon of inspiration for everyone in times of struggle. His influence on the field might be waning, but his experienced leadership will be essential if the Commanders are going to get out of their slump.
Whether this has the desired effect remains to be seen. Morale cannot be exceptionally high within the organization right now, despite Wagner's claims. It's about digging deep, relying on the brotherhood that led Washington to the final four last season, and making the necessary adjustments. That's all they have left.
If that doesn't work, the Commanders' problems run much deeper. But they have to try, and head coach Dan Quinn will learn a lot more about his players in the weeks and months ahead.
As for Wagner? He'll be a driving force, and if this is going to be his last campaign before retirement, he won't want to go out with a whimper.