When Washington Commanders defensive end Efe Obada suffered a leg injury in a Week 11 loss to the New York Giants, things didn’t look good for his future.
Obada, who was 31 then, was scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season. After the game, it was revealed that the reserve defensive end had suffered multiple leg fractures, ending his season.
To make matters worse for Obada, Washington had fired head coach Ron Rivera. Rivera had believed in Obada, signing the raw but talented Obada who had begun his career as a part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. Obada spent four seasons with the Carolina Panthers before signing as a free agent with the Bills in 2021.
In 2022, Rivera came calling again. Obada had a productive 2022 season for the Commanders in a reserve role and re-signed with Washington on another one-year deal in 2023. Unfortunately, injuries limited him to just five games last season.
With Rivera gone, how would new general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn view the soon-to-be 32-year-old Obada, who is coming off a severe injury?
As it turns out, Quinn remembered Obada. Back in 2016 when Quinn was head coach of the Falcons and Obada was trying to make it in the NFL, he spent some time in Atlanta’s training camp. While he didn’t make the team, he left an impression on Quinn in those few short weeks.
The Commanders were busy in free agency, signing at least 15 outside free agents but re-signing only four of their own — so far.
One of those Washington chose to retain was Obada.
Obada revealed to reporters that when he was in the hospital in November, only two coaches called him: Rivera and Quinn. Rivera, for as much as he struggled in Washington, was always respected by his players. That was not a surprise. Quinn calling Obada was a surprise.
‘Early in my career when I was still trying to figure out what football was, I had the opportunity to go for a training camp in Atlanta,” Obada said. “And Dan Quinn was the head coach there. I was there for about two or three weeks and thought nothing of it. Recently, when I broke my leg and when I was at my lowest point in the hospital, apart from Rivera, he (Quinn) was one of the only coaches that messaged me. He messaged me that I was a warrior and that I would get back. And that meant so much to me. So, for everything to play out the way it played out and for him to be here, honestly, he’s the only coach that I would want to play for right now. He’s one of the only coaches I want to go to war for, and it’s a testament to the kind of guy that he is because he cares about someone eight years later. He didn’t need to text me, and he did.”
Full circle moment@EfeObadaUK | #HTTC pic.twitter.com/14IyiPcsxd
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 23, 2024
We’ve heard how and why so many other coaches and players love Quinn. This is an excellent example, and that kind of loyalty goes a long way.