ASHBURN — The new-look Washington Commanders’ season-long love affair with their rejuvenated fan base continued this week as the NFL announced the results of Pro Bowl fan voting. The upstart Commanders ranked third in total votes.
Fourteen different Washington players ranked among the Top 10 in voting at their respective positions, the NFL announced Tuesday. The full Pro Bowl rosters will be released on Thursday morning after the league tabulates the votes from players and coaches who cast their ballots on Friday.
Regardless of the final tallies, this year’s fan engagement is a far cry from previous years. Washington didn’t send a single player to last year’s all-star festivities after finishing 4-13.
But this year is different. New general manager Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn overhauled the squad, leading the most extensive roster overhaul in the NFL this offseason. The results have paid off — the Commanders are 11-5 with a playoff berth heading into their regular season finale.
“We’ve been through the wringer,” said guard Sam Cosmi, who ranked third in his position in fan voting. “It’s nice to be on the other end of something special.”
Washington’s list of potential Pro Bowlers includes players from both sides of the ball, but the tally is headlined by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. The presumptive Rookie of the Year led all quarterbacks in votes with more than 242,000. He ranked third among players, trailing Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs and Kansas City Chiefs tight end (and pop superstar Taylor Swift’s boyfriend) Travis Kelce.
To coach Dan Quinn, the widespread fan support in Pro Bowl voting mirrored the raucous crowds at Northwest Stadium this season.
“It’s the type of support that when you feel it, you know it,” he said Wednesday. “And so to see that happen and that type of excitement and energy for the players and the team, it means a lot.”
Washington’s top vote-getters featured a mix of youngsters looking to make their first Pro Bowl and veterans who have been there and done that.
Bobby Wagner, the top inside linebacker according to fans, made the year-end event nine times in his first 12 seasons. Veteran tight end Zach Ertz made three with the Philadelphia Eagles and could make his fourth, depending on the final results.
But these honors never become routine, according to Wagner.
“It’s really cool because you appreciate the fans; you appreciate their love for you and your game. You don’t know when you’re going to stop getting them or when you’re not going to be in the league anymore, so I’m grateful for every one,” Wagner said. “Ten is a great number. It’s very hard to do in this league, so it would mean a lot.”
Rookies Jayden Daniels and Mike Sainristil — the sixth cornerback in the voting — described a potential Pro Bowl designation as another inimitable experience in a whirlwind year.
“It’d be a blessing if I’m announced to it,” Daniels said Wednesday. “If not, try again next year.”
None of it means as much as the upcoming playoff run, though. With a win in their final regular season game, the Commanders would clinch the No. 6 seed to set up a date with either the Los Angeles Rams or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“It would be a huge honor,” Sainristil said about a potential Pro Bowl appearance. “But I’m focused on helping this team make it where we want to make it. Right now, that’s just beating Dallas this week.”
The second-to-last playoff spot might not mean much to onlookers when compared to the seventh seed, but it matters to coach Dan Quinn. With a win, the Commanders could have a shot at a home playoff game if they make it to the conference championship game and face the Green Bay Packers, who’d have the final wild-card berth.
“We want to stay in the spot we’re in,” safety Quan Martin said. “So, we still got a lot to play for in this last game.”
The Commanders were 7-2 at home this season, including an overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons to clinch their spot in the postseason.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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