ASHBURN, Va. — Jeremy Chinn is the Washington Commanders’ second-leading tackler halfway through the season and has started to become one of the leaders in coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.’s unit.
In fact, with 54 tackles through nine games this season the Commanders safety has nearly doubled his 2023 production from his final season with the Carolina Panthers.
On top of that, he’s playing well on a winning team, just another thing that’s changed for Chinn since moving to a team that he didn’t really pay much mind to before falling in love with the approach this new-look Washington franchise was embarking on this offseason.
“To be real, I really didn't even really look at this organization when I was in Carolina,” Chinn told WUSA9’s Chick Hernandez in an exclusive interview following the Commanders’ Week 9 win over the New York Giants. A game in which Chinn led the team in tackles with two that came behind the line of scrimmage. “And then when [head coach] Dan Quinn came here and [general manager] Adam Peters came here and just talking to them about some of their plans and how they saw things being turned around here, I definitely wanted to be a part of that.”
He’s not just a part of it now, he’s one of the leaders of it, both on the field and in the huddle where his coordinator tells us his voice is growing by the week.
But it’s his highlights that have everyone most impressed. Highlights that - within the rules of today’s NFL - might look similar to some of the great plays Chinn’s Hall of Fame uncle Steve Atwater used to make in a much more physical brand of football back in the day.
“We're built pretty similar,” Chinn said when asked about characteristics of his uncle’s game he tries to emulate in his own. “So just his physical impact. He's someone that everybody felt on the football field, and so I try to incorporate that in my game. I just really want people to film me out there.”
One of the areas opponents like the Giants last week have been feeling him is in the run game and short passing game, areas where those challenging the Washington defense try to exploit the edge and get out in space.
“Anytime you play on a perimeter, film study is a big part of that,” says Chinn. “Things happen so fast, but another part of that is really just shooting your shot and shooting your gun and not really giving the opportunity to make a move, make a decision. You just take the air away.”
The Commanders brought Chinn to the team as part of their effort to redefine the franchise. Chinn came to Washington looking to be part of a winning team.
So far, the investment is working out well for both. As the league enters the second half of the season the question now is: Is it enough to make a deep playoff run though?
“I believe so,” Chinn says. “I think we have a great locker room, a great group of guys, and I think it's run very well up top.”