When the Washington Commanders selected Alabama defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis with the No. 47 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, it was to replace Daron Payne. Payne had one year remaining on his rookie deal. However, Payne would go on to have a career year in 2022, earning a four-year extension that made him the second-highest-paid defensive tackle ever at that time.
Meanwhile, Mathis was injured in Week 1 and missed the remainder of his rookie season. He returned to the field in 2023, appearing in 10 games for the Commanders, recording eight tackles.
The Commanders fired Ron Rivera in January, meaning the man who brought Mathis to Washington was gone. You’d think that would make Mathis nervous, but instead, he looked at it as an opportunity.
Earlier this week, Mathis was scheduled to return to Ashburn from his native Louisiana for the start of training camp. However, a global IT outage canceled flights throughout the country, and Mathis was among those impacted. Instead of using it as an excuse, Mathis took it upon himself to rearrange his travel plans in order to be at camp on time.
That impressed head coach Dan Quinn.
“I’ve really been impressed by Phil,” Quinn said Thursday. “He is just somebody that’s not going to miss this opportunity. I’m sure you guys saw some of the flight stuff. He was going to have a hard time getting in on time, and he wasn’t having it.”
It may seem like a small thing, but it impressed Quinn and the coaching staff. The coaching hasn’t only reenergized stars like Terry McLaurin and Jonathan Allen but other young players looking to turn their careers around, like Mathis.
“I just had to get here on time,” he said, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “I didn’t want to be late on the first day.”
A big reason for Mathis’ motivation is the new coaching staff.
“I just really feel like this is what a lot of guys needed, especially myself,” he said. “Just a new coaching staff that really just pushes us, man. I think they bring it all out of us. They make it exciting to be here every day. You can tell there’s a new standard around here.”
Washington’s players want to be coached. There’s a greater emphasis on teaching and technique at every position. Health aside, the coaching change could be what saves Mathis’ career in Washington. He’s not the only former Commanders’ draft pick trying to turn things around.
Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes is off to a strong start in camp. The staff wanted Forbes to add weight in the offseason, which he did. Through the first few days of camp, Forbes has looked like a different player. There’s still a long way for him to go, but the new staff has already impacted him.
Others, such as Jamin Davis, Benjamin St-Juste, and Dyami Brown, are all looking to turn things around in 2024 and have all expressed excitement about playing for Quinn.
Perhaps, after all, Rivera’s draft picks may not look as bad with a more qualified staff coaching them.