Terry McLaurin's Bold Promise: ‘I’m Not Here to Settle, I’m Here to Bring a Championship to Washington!’
Washington Commanders' star wide receiver Terry McLaurin is not just making a statement with his recent contract extension; he’s setting the tone for the future. The $96 million extension, which secures McLaurin’s place in Washington for years to come, isn’t just a financial agreement — it’s a declaration of his commitment to winning a championship with the Commanders.
“This contract isn’t just a piece of paper — it’s a promise to myself, my team, and the fans who’ve believed in me since day one,” McLaurin shared. “I’m not here to settle for good, I’m here to be great. My goal is to bring a championship to Washington, and I will leave everything on the field to make that happen. This is just the beginning — I’m ready for what comes next.”
McLaurin has consistently been a standout player for the Commanders, often providing the spark on offense. Despite the challenges the team has faced in recent years, McLaurin’s dedication and leadership have remained unwavering. With this new extension, he is ready to take that leadership role to new heights, helping to lead the team into a new era of success.
His statement reveals his hunger for greatness and his desire to not just be a good player but to help elevate the Commanders into championship contention. While other wide receivers may rest on their laurels after securing such a massive deal, McLaurin is using it as motivation to push himself and the team even further.
“I’ve always believed in myself and my team, but now we’re ready to prove it to everyone else,” McLaurin added. “This isn’t just about a contract. This is about building something special here, something that lasts. I want to be remembered as the guy who helped bring Washington back to the top, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get us there.”
The path ahead isn’t easy. The NFC East remains a tough division with the defending Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, and fierce competitors like the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. But McLaurin’s confidence and work ethic make it clear he believes the Commanders can rise to the occasion and secure a Super Bowl title.
As the Commanders enter the 2025 season, all eyes will be on McLaurin and the explosive offense he leads. With quarterback Jayden Daniels developing into a franchise player and McLaurin now fully committed to the long-term future, this could be the year Washington begins its climb back to the top of the NFC.
McLaurin’s leadership, both on and off the field, will be key to transforming this team into a true contender. It’s clear that with his resolve and his new contract, McLaurin is ready to do whatever it takes to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Washington.
Legendary Former Teammate Calls Out Broncos Icon Shannon Sharpe
Denver Broncos great Shannon Sharpe has made one of the most successful transitions from player to media personality in the NFL, but his public (i.e., television) persona is not for everyone, including a well-known former teammate.
Sharpe did not spend his entire playing career with the Broncos. He also spent two years with the Baltimore Ravens.
His former Ravens teammate, Ray Lewis, is among those put off by Sharpe’s act.
Ray Lewis Admits Parting Ways With Ex-Broncos TE Shannon Sharpe
“I’m not surprised [by Sharpe’s success in media]. I’m shocked at his content. I would in a million years, the things that Shannon has said now or did now, I would never believe that Shannon will say or do any of those things,” Lewis told Patrick Bet-David on the “PBD Podcast” in a clip shared on August 30.
“Take drinking. Shannon, in my entire career, I’ve never saw Shannon with a drink. Ever. Like, it was against the law, right, because he had some stuff in his family that he didn’t want to follow that. And, yeah, and then, so, I kind of started to watch him. And then, we kind of went our own separate ways because I’m like, ‘You’re going to take that route. I can’t go that route. Never can go that route.”
Sharpe and Lewis had always been close, even publicly roasting one another while they were teammates.
Sharpe, a Hall of Famer like Lewis, played 14 seasons in the NFL, 12 of which came with the Broncos. He finished his career with 815 receptions, 10,060 yards, 62 touchdowns, eight Pro Bowl trips, three First Team All-Pro selections, and two Super Bowl wins, one in Denver.
Ray Lewis: Shannon Sharpe, Others Promoting ‘Ignorance’
GettyRay Lewis (L) and Shannon Sharpe (R) of the Baltimore Ravens celebrate after the AFC Championship Playoffs against the Oakland Raiders.
Lewis, whose own career was marred by double homicide charges stemming from a stabbing during his Super Bowl run with the Ravens in January 2000 (between Sharpe’s Broncos stints) and performance-enhancing substance use, is an ordained minister and motivational speaker.
His basis for splitting personally with Sharpe is deeply rooted in that faith and vocation.
Lewis said, “That route is to become so worldly that you become popular because you’re talking about ignorance.”
He added that he is trying to “teach people what does it mean to be a better man, or get back to the kingdom [of Heaven],” not engage in “gossip conversations.” Sharpe has been in the news amid rape accusations from a former girlfriend and his exit from his role as an ESPN personality.
Sharpe still has his popular “Club Shay Shay” and “The Nightcap” podcasts.
“A lot of times, and a lot a lot of the guys get in trouble with these podcasts and things, man, because everybody wants to follow, or everybody wants to be popular. Everybody wants to make money, but that’s a tight rope into what you call influence and popularity, right? And the devil has the ability to make you popular. God has the ability to give you influence that when people see you, they see an image of him,” Lewis said.
“That’s the thing for me that started to switch with not just Shannon, but just a couple of people. I’m like, ‘Wow, you would switch out like that? Really?’ And I would never, ever. Why? Because of the respect that I have for my mother, my daughters, my granddaughter’s life. Period.”
Sharpe settled his rape case out of court, in which the plaintiff initially sought $50 million in damages from the former Broncos playmaker, but no financial details were disclosed.
Ray Lewis Staying in Own Lane
Lewis noted the influx of podcasters like Sharpe, whom the Broncos drafted in the seventh round of the 1990 draft. Lewis decried the lack of internal reflection from the hosts of those programs.
“I think men given these new platforms, we’ve overrode what the platform is actually for. The platform is supposed to help somebody find a new direction. We don’t help. Everybody just gets on. Everybody’s talking now, everybody got a podcast, everybody is the new marriage coach, everybody’s the new relationship coach, and ain’t nobody coaching themselves,” Lewis said.
“If you were coaching yourself, when it says ‘power of life and death is found in the tongue,’ then go back and check out a couple of episodes and ask yourself, ‘Do you give life or do you give death?’ And that’s why me, personally? Yeah, I kind of do my own thing, stay in my own lane.”
Sharpe, once dynamic on the field for the Broncos and Ravens, has become polarizing off it.
