Ron Rivera isn’t the only coach talking about a player-based culture for the Washington Redskins.
Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has recently echoed these same sentiments, noting some of the best teams he’s been with over the years have been strong in this area.
Here’s an excerpt of the comment, via Scott Allen of the Washington Post:
“The coach provides a vision, but at the end of the day, the players in the locker room, it’s their team,” Del Rio said. “… The very successful teams are player-led. I was part of a Super Bowl-winning team [as the linebackers coach] in Baltimore in 2000 that was player-led. Brian Billick and the staff did a great job of creating that atmosphere where players understood it was their team. We went through that season, we never had a bed check the whole year, including Super Bowl week. There wasn’t any babysitting. To me, it’s not about babysitting. You’re talking about grown men. You want to get the right men that are dedicated and determined to win. That’s what a successful culture looks like.”
The Redskins hope they already have some of this in place with homegrown leaders like Jonathan Allen, not to mention recent arrivals like Landon Collins.
But expect this makeover to create more change this offseason as Rivera and Del Rio weed out some of the roster and replace with free agents and prospects.
On paper, it sure sounds good right now.
