Dan Quinn Addresses Bobby Wagner Yelling at His Own Teammates During Commanders’ Win
The Washington Commanders’ veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner made quite a stir in the Week 5 clash against the Los Angeles Chargers. Cameras caught him tearing into teammates on the sidelines during a two-minute warning.
Following Wagner’s outburst, the Commanders head coach Dan Quinn marched down onto the field and talked it over with his linebacker.
Coach Quinn later broke it down for reporters. Quinn wasn’t papering over the tension; he acknowledged Wagner’s push helped the team find tempo.
“It was hard, they were subbing and getting in and so it felt tenuous to get calls in and calls out. And so, he just wanted to allow the guys to get the cleats in the grass and go. He just wanted to get going earlier. We did a nice job with that in the second half.”
Wagner’s blowup wasn’t reckless emotion. The defense was slugging early, missing tackles and losing sync. Wagner saw standard slipping and made it loud. The result? Tighter focus and a jolt of energy. The Commanders responded quickly after halftime, showing better communication and physicality. Wagner’s eruption forced urgency, and the defense locked in.
And this wasn’t the first time Wagner showed this kind of leadership.
Asked Dan Quinn about what was going on: “It was hard, they were subbing and getting in and so it felt tenuous to get calls in and calls out. And so he just wanted to allow the guys to get the cleats in the grass and go. He just wanted to get going earlier …. We did a nice job…
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) October 6, 2025
Back in Week 3, HC Dan Quinn took a hit from quarterback Marcus Mariota, and notably started bleeding from his nose. When coach Quinn was getting checked out, Bobby Wagner was gearing up to fire up the team again. But Quinn got back up, and Wagner’s words weren’t needed. As the linebacker noted later:
“He got knocked down, got hit pretty hard… He came back up, and it was kind of like a movie. While he was getting treatment, we weren’t sure if he was going to be able to come out. And so, we’re gathering everybody, I’m getting ready to speak, and then he comes out of nowhere and [he’s] like ‘I got it.’ It was just a cool moment; I’ll remember that forever for sure.”
Quinn’s toughness sets the tone. Wagner’s intensity follows suit, creating a gritty identity for this locker room. And that identity shone through in Week 5.
The Commanders bounced back after a slow start. The Chargers led 10-0 after the first quarter, but things flipped after a critical turnover. Safety
Bobby Wagner: statement game
Bobby Wagner’s Week 5 impact wasn’t limited to sideline theatrics. Flip the script from the shouting to the stat sheet, and his fingerprints were everywhere. He finished with 8 solo tackles (14 total, both game highs) and one QB hit. Wagner’s leadership was obvious: he barked out adjustments, stayed aggressive, and on several occasions, stopped the Chargers’ run game cold.
Prior to the Week 5 matchup (and even in the game) critics had worried about Wagner’s coverage slowing, but he timed blitzes perfectly and turned the game in the Commanders’ favor on multiple occasions. Wagner’s presence also had ripple effects.
Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw dominated inside, while Dorance Armstrong and Von Miller combined for 3.5 sacks. Washington’s pass rush rattled Chargers’ quarterback Justin Herbert, who took 4 sacks and remained limited to just 166 passing yards.
Quinn and Wagner’s partnership give Washington muscle and focus. The Commanders are now 3-2 and walked away from the Chargers with both momentum and a blueprint. The path forward: accountability on the sideline, execution on the field.
The next stretch will show if this edge holds. For now, Wagner’s sideline eruption stands as the moment the Commanders decided good enough wasn’t going to cut it. That attitude, paired with strong play, could reshape Washington’s season faster than any stat line.
Meanwhile, don’t forget to see our video below, explaining the downhill form of Russell Wilson. What’s really happening to the DangeRussWilson?
QB Shake-Up Looming? Bengals HC Zac Taylor Noncommittal After Jake Browning’s Latest Loss
Jake Browning is quickly losing grip on the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback position. The Bengals lost the last three fixtures with Browning after Joe Burrow led them to a 2-0 start in the first two weeks.
Browning’s inability to move the sticks and concede turnovers at regular intervals has created doubts among the Bengals’ front office about whether they should stick with him or try something else. They have been outscored 113-37 with the 29-year-old under center, and he’s thrown 8 picks (second most and only behind the Raiders QB
The defeat against the Detroit Lions in particular exposed Browning’s limitations as a quarterback. Sure, he threw three touchdown passes, but he also conceded three, canceling out his good work.
Up next, the Bengals travel to Wisconsin and face the 2-1-1 Green Bay Packers, who had a bye week. Browning, for the moment, is the starter, but head coach Zac Taylor
We’ll see where it goes. You know, I think—like all personnel decisions—we’ve got to evaluate it. Jake’s been very accountable for how the game went for him. I’ve got to be accountable for how the game went for me as well. And so we’ll continue to progress here through the days
Zac Taylor said (H/T: NFL.com).
Zac Taylor asked if he sees Jake Browning as starting QB vs GB: “We’ll see where it goes. Like all personnel decisions, we have to evaluate it.”
Taylor again leaves door open to go a different direction at QB.
Other QBs in the building: Brett Rypien, Mike White, Sean Clifford. — Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) October 6, 2025
According to early odds by AZCentral, the Packers are 14.5-point favorites to defeat the Bengals in week six.
Who could realistically replace Jake Browning for the Bengals?
Taylor’s options are limited. Seven-year veteran
The front office signed veterans Mike White and
White has bounced around several NFL rosters, including the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills, before joining the Bengals. In 15 games, White started seven and posted a 2-5 record.
Clifford, a Cincinnati native, was part of the Packers roster in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Taylor also has the option to trade for a temporary stand-in quarterback. One name the Bengals have been linked with is
Can’t stop thinking about Jameis on the Bengals.
They have a MNF, two SNF, and a TNF game in the next 2 months. Please @NFL, step in pic.twitter.com/jxE0VYkSlT
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) September 15, 2025
Winston’s familiarity with the AFC North may be helpful for the Bengals. He started 7 games (played in 12) and posted a 2-5 record.
The Giants signed Winston on a two-year deal, but he should be open to starting in Cincinnati.
The Bengals should view Jameis Winston as the rollercoaster ride option; trade for him in case of an emergency. The big-armed pocket-passer will feed wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at a high volume, but he’s also likely to turn the ball over at least once a game. Winston would bring immediate excitement to Cincinnati’s offense, but the club must weigh the cost of his careless throws that could put the defense in tough spots and force the offense into track meets.
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report wrote in a recent article
Winston is 36-51 as an NFL starter with 24,225 yards, 154 touchdowns, and 111 interceptions.
