The Washington Commanders had another embarrassing Wednesday. After Washington D.C. attorney general Karl Racine promised a “major announcement” for Thursday, leading the Commanders to hastily respond.
In their response to Racine, Washington referred to the shooting of rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr., which upset a lot of people, including Robinson’s agent and some of his teammates.
Less than three months ago, a 23-year-old player on our team was shot multiple times, in broad daylight. Despite the out-of-control violent crime in DC, today the Washington Commanders learned for the first time on Twitter that the D.C. Attorney General will be holding a press conference to ‘make a major announcement’ related to the organization tomorrow.
The Commanders have fully cooperated with the AG’s investigation for nearly a year. As recently as Monday, a lawyer for the team met with the AG who did not suggest at that time that he intended to take any action and, in fact, revealed fundamental misunderstandings of the underlying facts. It is unfortunate that, in his final days in office, Mr. Racine appears more interested in making splashy headlines, based on offbeat legal theories, rather than doing the hard work of making the streets safe for our citizens, including bringing to justice the people who shot one of our players.
Team president Jason Wright later tried to diffuse the situation, placing blame on the organization’s outside counsel for being frustrated with the attorney general’s office.
“The earlier statement express our external counsel’s ongoing frustration with the attorney general’s office, as they have been nothing but earnest and transparent in their communications with his team,” Wright said. “The lawyers’ legitimate frustrations with the AG should have been separate and apart from referencing the terrible crime that affected our player.”
Wright received heat for his statement, but what was he supposed to do? He, nor head coach Ron Rivera, shouldn’t have to continue defending ownership and the team’s lawyers.
As for Robinson, reporters spoke to him Thursday, and the rookie back continues to show grace and positivity in what has been a difficult 10 weeks for him.
“I told him [head coach Ron Rivera] how I felt about it and put it past me,” Robinson said per John Keim of ESPN. “I can’t control that. I’m just going to continue doing what I’ve been doing.”
Robinson made his NFL debut in Week 5 against the Titans, less than two months after being shot twice in the leg and undergoing surgery.
“I wish it would be like that, but the reality is it will take a while for it to die all the way down,” Robinson said. “I’ve got to be stronger than what I’m up against. That’s been the case ever since it happened. I have to continue to do that.”
Robinson’s outlook is refreshing, as he is one of the feel-good stories of the 2022 NFL season.
Two teens have been arrested in connection to Robinson’s shooting and attempted arm robbery.
