The Redskins Blog

Wilson Dances To Help Fight Obesity

Earlier today, CB Josh Wilson represented the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation by participating in National Health Through Fitness Day in Washington, D.C. as part of Capitol Hill’s campaign to “Get America Moving to Improve Health”.

The program’s goal is to help overcome America’s obesity crisis which falls in line with the Redskins Charitable Foundation’s commitment to health and wellness through the NFL’s Play 60 initiative.

There was much anticipation for Josh’s arrival and the students wasted no time challenging him to a game of Dance Dance Revolution.

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Darrell Green: ‘Hometown Hall Of Famer’

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Washington Redskins’ Hall-Of-Fame cornerback Darrell Green was honored this week by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Allstate Insurance company as a “Hometown Hall of Famer” in his hometown of Houston.

Green on Tuesday was given the honor at his alma mater, Jones High School, and was presented a commemorative plaque that will be displayed at the school permanently, according to a release from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Late Growth Spurt Assists Rookie CB

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Rookie Redskins’ cornerback Richard Crawford was 5-foot-7 when he graduated from El Camino High School in Oceanside, Calif.

The major college football programs, in turn, passed on offering Crawford — a short-but-speedy defensive back and kick returner — a spot on their teams.

Two years later, Crawford — now four inches taller — had transferred from Saddleback Community College in California to Southern Methodist University, where he would continue to move up the lists of professional football scouts nationwide.

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Cedric Griffin: A Football Success Story

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New Redskins defensive back Cedric Griffin has the unusual reputation as a hard-hitting cornerback and playmaker from his time in Minnesota.  Off the field, he’s a devoted husband and father, shoveling his own snow and running his own charitable foundation called “Stand Up For Kids.”

With 11 career takeaways, he matches what the Redskins want on defense.  With a selfless history of charitable work, he matches the Redskins’ emphasis on character.

It turns out that both sides of Cedric Griffin can be traced back to a difficult childhood, and finding his emotional outlet on the football field. Read more »

Torrence Welcomed Back, Farewells Saints

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Like so many athletes in today’s social media landscape, Leigh Torrence made his Redskins’ signing official with a few Tweets yesterday evening.  The first was dedicated to the next Redskins chapter of his career, and looking forward to moving ahead with his new old team:

I can't wait, A new chapter of excellence with the Washington Redskins! #washingtonredskins—
Leigh Torrence Jr (@ltorrence24) April 11, 2012

The second was dedicated to the Saints team that he left behind, where he registered the only pick-six on defense last season, and won a championship ring in Super Bowl XLIV:

The past 4 years in New Orleans have taught me more than I could have imagined, the process of becoming a champion! #nola4ever—
Leigh Torrence Jr (@ltorrence24) April 11, 2012

In the 12 hours since his tweets, his page has been covered in Saints fans and players bemoaning the loss of No. 24, as well as Redskins players and fans welcoming him back.

But why all of the excitement?  With only two interceptions and 3.5 sacks in 73 career games, Torrence seems like an odd candidate to move the needle on social media.  But if you ask any of his former teammates or beat reporters, Torrence is hot commodity in the locker room and community.

Of the 52 other men on the squad when Torrence was released in 2008, only nine remain under contract.  Of those nine, two (plus Westbrook) were excited by the news of Torrence’s return, and shared their congratulations on Twitter:  Read more »

Torrence Brings A Ring Back To Redskins

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Welcome back to Washington, Leigh Torrence.

After a three-year hiatus from the Burgundy and Gold, Torrence is back in Washington for his second stint with the team. While he once played for Joe Gibbs and Jim Zorn in the 4-3 scheme, he will now have to adjust to Mike Shanahan’s 3-4, and Jim Haslett’s emphasis on creating turnovers.

As a career-backup (one start, in 2007), Torrence has two career interceptions and one return for a touchdown.  In 25 games for the Redskins from 2006-08,  he compiled 42 tackles, one sack and two passes defensed.

At age 30, he isn’t the young, developing player that he was when he left.  But he still has the ability to play defense and special teams, with the worldliness factor that can help mold his younger teammates. Read more »

Griffin Continues Secondary’s Makeover

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After a season riddled with injury, the Redskins are improving the roster depth by loading up talent on both sides of the ball.

The Redskins announced the signing of former Vikings cornerback Cedric Griffin to the roster this afternoon, shoring up the secondary with another veteran defensive back.

Griffin is known for his hard-hitting style of play, dating back to his time at the University of Texas.  In 2011, Griffin started 14 games, and had 55 tackles, one interception and three forced fumbles.  For his career, he has eight interceptions, 14 forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

After the signing of defensive backs coach Raheem Morris and the addition of Pro Bowl safety Brandon Meriweather yesterday, the Redskins have demonstrated a commitment to improving the team’s pass defense in 2012.

Griffin brings good size to the secondary (6-0, 190 pounds), and is able to defend against slot receivers, wideouts and tight ends.

He was college teammates with current Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo.  He was a pivotal player on the Longhorns 2005 National Championship defense, which beat Fred Davis’s USC Trojans.  Davis signed his tender today to be the Redskins’ 2012 franchise player.

In 2010, Griffin was named the Vikings’ winner of the Ed Block Courage Award for his attitude and courage in returning from a devastating knee injury.  Here was the foundation’s quote on Griffin: Read more »

Hall Talks Cowboys, Jets And Rex Ryan

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On this week’s Adam Rank “Gridiron Podcast For Kids” segment of the NFL.com’s Dave Dameshek Football Podcast (51-minute mark), Rank chats with Week 12 NFC Defensive Player of the Week, Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall.

Hall has made a lot of headlines in the last two weeks, from his critical assessment of his play in Dallas, to his stellar play against the Seahawks.  While it may have surprised people to hear that he would cut himself for his level of play, Hall revealed to Rank, that that’s just the type of outspoken leadership he provides

Me being the captain of this team and the captain of this defense, I felt like the onus was on me to make that play that sealed the win for us and I didn’t do it.

I never said go out and cut me.  I grew up in Washington, played college ball in the Virginia area, and this is the place I always wanted to be.  This is a dream job for me and there’s no other place I’d rather be.  But definitely going against the Dallas Cowboys, that’s a game that we all get up for, the owner, the front office, all the fans–myself included, growing up and knowing how intense this rivalry is.  I wanted it so bad, and to have it right there at the tip of my fingers and not be able to reach it or claim it–it was tough.  It was tough.

In the age of free agency and high roster movement, there’s some talk of the rivalries not being as heated as they once were.  If that’s true, it’s news to Hall: Read more »

Hall Focused On Picks, Wins Over Awards

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Earlier today, it was announced that Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall had been selected as the NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

That’s a major turnaround for a guy that told the media after the Cowboys game that if there’s finger-pointing to be made, he would want it at him.  Today in the locker room, the media was pointing fingers again–but in a good way.

Unfortunately for them, Hall wasn’t ready to take the good with the bad yet.  When asked how he felt about his seven passes defensed on Sunday, he had a few regrets

“Yeah, a lot of dropped picks, basically,” he said with a smirk.  ”I definitely dropped a couple gifts. But, y’know, we got the win, and that’s kinda all that matters.”

“But it was a nice award, a nice honor.”

Hall rebounded physically and emotionally from any disappointments he weather during and after the Cowboys game.  This may not have been the statement game that he was looking for, but his efforts on defense were part of a larger team effort that won the game.

And that’s kinda all that matters.

Catch the rest of his understated thoughts, and his preview of Rex Ryan and the Jets: Read more »

Wilson On Seattle, Seattle On Wilson

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Wilson on Seattle:

Although his off-season signing with Washington brought him home, Redskins cornerback Josh Wilson returns to his ‘home away from home’ in Seattle this weekend.

Wilson, a second round draft pick to the Seahawks in 2007, sat down with “The John Thompson Show” on ESPN 980 to discuss his time in Seattle.  The first thing he discussed was the absurd volume of the fabled 12th man at Qwest Field/CenturyLink Field:

“It definitely gets you going,” Wilson said.  ”As a defensive player, that’s when we got the bulk of [the noise].  It was almost just as tough as a defensive player to be able to communicate as it was for the offense.  But there’s nothing like making a big play as a defensive player there, because you’re gonna hear a stadium roar.”

The same can be said for special occasions on offense.  Last year in the playoffs, when the Seahawks (7-9) hosted the Saints (11-5) at Qwest Field, the Seahawks managed one of the greatest upsets in NFL playoffs history.  The memorable play from that game was a 67-yard touchdown run by Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch: Read more »