ASHBURN, Va. — On Sept. 4, before the Washington Commanders ripped off five wins in seven weeks, general manager Adam Peters made a move that simultaneously contradicted the narrative that he and head coach Dan Quinn were evicting all ‘Ron Rivera Era’ players while ensuring a key piece of the franchise’s future on the field.
A four-year $74 million contract extension for Commanders offensive lineman Sam Cosmi was widely applauded as he’d proven through his first three NFL seasons to be one of the few consistent members of the roster. Clearly, he made an early impression on the team’s new regime as well.
For a team like Washington which has been notably conservative when it comes to taking big swings and signing long contracts, it was not a move made lightly. And as his team has become the talk of the league this season, Cosmi has only continued to impress his new coach.
“In a team meeting I talked about the communication that I hear from him and (offensive tackle Andrew) Wiley on the sideline, ‘‘[If] this comes back up, if this alignment's there, we'll go do this,’ I love that he's thinking ahead, because that's when you know you're ready for the next step and the next thing,” Quinn says of Cosmi. “He's off to a really good start, but I'm seeing his confidence grow, the communication grow and that's what you'd hope to see.”
Quinn also shared how much fun it is for him to watch Cosmi and his teammates truly battling for each other, something that has become a common thread in this new-look Commanders organization.
It’s led to an increased willingness to not only battle together on the field, but find that extra bit of fuel needed to finish the fight in the waning moments of a game when some of the most critical plays can take place.
If Cosmi is having more fun playing in the NFL this season compared to previous years it’s due at least in part because of just how different the game is being played in Washington these days.
Gone are the wishes the Commanders would run the ball, something Cosmi publicly discussed multiple times over the past 12 months. In their place now lives appreciation for a scheme that not only maximizes potential but stokes the flames of competitive energy.
“(Offensive coordinator) Kliff (Kingsbury), (offensive line coach) Bobby (Johnson), all the guys over there are just doing a phenomenal job when it comes to just game planning and getting us prepared each and every week,” Cosmi told WUSA9’s Chick Hernandez in an exclusive interview ahead of the team’s Week 8 matchup against the Chicago Bears. “They put in the man hours and we feel prepared going into a game. So I really appreciate that on their side, we really see it and we're trying to execute what their game plan is, and by us doing that is allowing us to have production on how we're doing it. So hats off to them right now and we're going to keep it going and keep it rolling. I love it.”
If you talk to him today you can feel the positivity coming off the offensive lineman. Given the new contract, rejuvenated football energy, and of course the winning, you can clearly understand where it is coming from. But there’s another source for his present-day joy. A much bigger one. His young daughter, who in many ways lit the fuse on what has been a banner 10-month stretch for Cosmi and his family.
“(It has been) a huge change. I didn't know the aspect of selflessness and dedicating your sole purpose and time into such a small, compact individual,” Cosmi said about the experience of becoming a parent for the first time. “She's my world and she takes up all my free time now. There's no such thing as free time anymore being a parent, and I love it. It's great. And being able to see her grow and develop is one of the most wholesome things in the whole world.”
Cosmi and the Commanders have experienced quite the turnaround of fortunes in the last 10 months, and if current trends are any indication the next 10 plus are going to be pretty good as well.