ASHBURN, Va. — When coaches like Dan Quinn take new jobs like he did with the Washington Commanders early this year it is not unusual for them to bring players from former stops along with them.
Because of that, when the Commanders signed former Dallas Cowboys like defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., linebacker Dante Fowler Jr, and cornerback Noah Igbinoghene — players Quinn coached as that team’s defensive coordinator during his three seasons there — nobody was surprised.
But when center Tyler Biadasz made the jump from the Cowboys to Washington, it caught people’s attention a little bit more. And it brought up the question of why an offensive player would feel compelled to follow a defensive coach to a new destination.
“His relationship building, his chemistry with the guys in the locker room on and off the field, just talking to him sitting at lunch or just passing through the hallways, you're always having a conversation with him. And he has great vibes, has great energy, but he's all about grit, tenacity, and winning,” Biadasz said of Quinn when he arrived at the franchise. “He's a great guy in general…He really does care about you generally, and that was a big part for me, no doubt.”
The high praise goes both ways between the two men, and Quinn emphasizes some key attributes about his center whom he refers to as "Badass," a fun nickname that plays off the pronunciation of Biadasz’s (BEE-ah-dish) last name. Things like leadership, tenacity, and a work ethic. Things that not only show up on the field but in the way he takes care of himself off of it as he deals with the bumps and bruises that come with playing in the NFL.
That work ethic, Biadasz says, came from his family and growing up in Amherst, Wisconsin, a small community of just over 1,000 residents that made a big impact on his development.
“Growing up as a kid I always felt like I got my work ethic from my mom and my dad. I think even my brother as well at the same time, just learning from him,” Biadasz told WUSA9’s Chick Hernandez. “(And) my grandpa, he had a dairy farm right down the road. So you just saw that work ethic all the time in that grind of always getting your chores done.”
It wasn’t just the work that impacted Biadasz. He noticed that the people around him who showed him how to be the best workers also demonstrated how to be the best teammates as well. He found those examples in the way his parents and other family members sacrificed so he and his brother could play sports, have hobbies, develop people skills, and just generally find their place in life - while appreciating the little moments that came with that journey.
A journey that included playing three sports before he came to the realization that football was his chosen path.
“The credit to my mom and dad and my grandparents, my aunts and uncles that helped me on those trips or (going to baseball games), just because those add up so much, and (I) can't think of them enough,” Biadasz said. “And I think that overall (and) how you got to do all those things, that's where you go back. And I think that keeps me grounded in the respect of how I got here and what keeps me going at the same time. Because anytime I get family time, it's always a grounded time for me to just check-in. And we talk on a pretty daily basis too.”
When you hear Biadasz talk about his life on and off the field the word "blessing" comes up often. But he’s not selfish with those blessings. Another thing that made Quinn want him to be part of the Commanders’ reclamation project was the impact the center can and has made on his teammates, especially ones like rookie Brandon Coleman who credits the veteran for teaching him about the importance of taking care of his body and plugging him in with the appropriate resources to do so.
“Ty does a great job in his ability to first and foremost take care of his body,” offensive linemate Sam Cosmi said of his first-year teammate. “Dude spends a ton of money on his body when it comes to recovery. I mean, I don't know how much exactly, but he has so much equipment at home just to take care of him…When it comes to his work ethic on the field, I mean, he is relentless when it comes to his effort and his ability to put us in the right positions.”
Cosmi shared with WUSA9 how impressed he is with the fact that by the time the team meets on Wednesday to officially start their preparations for the next opponent, Biadasz is already five, six, or even seven games into his study. “(He’s a) big film junkie,” Cosmi says.
So if you want to define Biadasz, you’d probably do it using the words and phrases like "relentless," "leader," and "blessed." But it doesn’t appear you’ll find "petty" in there.
Many view this weekend’s matchup against Dallas as a revenge game of sorts for Biadasz and other former members of that rival franchise. Players like Armstrong, Fowler, Igbinoghene, and receiver Noah Brown.
But the Cowboys are part of Biadasz’s many blessings. Dallas is the team that drafted him in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft after a strong collegiate career with the Wisconsin Badgers. You won’t find him buying into any revenge storylines.
“Like any other game, I mean it's a division game, it means a lot more because you're playing 'em twice, but at the same time, you are competitive, (and) it's always about winning,” says Biadasz. “I'm not into anything else.”