ASHBURN, Va. — A foundational piece of the Washington Commanders defense is back for another season with the team. For Daron Payne, this season is a complete 180 from seasons past. Plenty of new faces have shown up at camp both on and off the field.
After going 43-71-1 over the past seven seasons with one playoff berth — also a loss — to show for it, there was reason to start almost from scratch in Washington.
Payne told WUSA9's Chick Hernandez that he noticed a change from day one of training camp.
"It's not just one coach that's got a lot of intensity, it's all of them," Payne said.
Off the field, Payne became a father during the off-season. He lights up when he talks about his new daughter.
"Caring for a little one is different, man. It's a 24-7 job. There's no hours off. You gotta be there for them, hold them tight, and love on them. It's fun. It's like she grows and turns into a different person every day. I'm just excited to watch her grow and see the person she's going to become."