Commanders head coach Dan Quinn did not hold back after the Week 1 loss to the Eagles, specifically calling out cornerback Mike Sainristil for his performance. Quinn, who doesn’t often name players directly in press conferences, made a point of identifying Sainristil as someone who needed to fix things. That’s a strong statement right out of the gate for the Emerald City’s NFC counterparts.
Quinn’s Unacceptable Call-Out
Quinn didn’t mince words during his Monday press conference, just a day after the Sunday loss to the Eagles. He confirmed the team had “definitely identified a few things that, ‘Hey, man, these are the things that we have to get corrected.’” But then he singled out Sainristil, whose coverage breakdown allowed an Eagles touchdown pass. Quinn’s assessment? “To have that type of play and just not have the right focus at the right time, completely not acceptable.” That’s a direct shot, especially from a coach who typically keeps things in-house. It shows how frustrated Quinn was with that specific play and the lack of focus.
Sainristil’s Positive Rebound
Even with the coach’s blunt criticism, Sainristil is publicly staying positive. He told reporters in the Commanders’ locker room this week that he won’t let Quinn’s words get him down. Sainristil’s mindset is to look forward, not dwell on the negative. He said, “People sometimes focus on, What did I do bad? But you don’t play a game and do all bad things. You have to focus on the good things, keep the good things good.” He made it clear he’s not someone who “sits there, whether I played good, whether I played bad,” which shows he’s trying to move past it. This kind of early season adversity is brutal, but Sainristil is aiming to bounce back, clearly focused on proving his coach wrong and keeping that positive mindset.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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