Commanders fans will love Montez Sweat’s mindset after ‘difficult’ 2021

The Washington Commanders‘ 2021 season was upended by injuries. Not only did their starting quarterback play less than a half of football, but their starting edge rushers missed a combined 15 games, their $34.5 million receiver, Curtis Samuel, played less than 100 snaps and the offensive line was devastated.

That summary doesn’t even include Landon Collins and William Jackson, who both endured multi-week absences, JD McKissic missing the final six contests and Jon Bostic’s season-ending injury in Week 4 against the Falcons.

It’s obviously not a contest, but suffice it to say Montez Sweat suffered the most adversity of any Washington player in 2021. Between his mother passing away and his brother getting shot and killed towards the end of the season, Sweat endured a crippling magnitude of hardship this past calendar year.

Despite experiencing the toughest time of his life, Sweat isn’t allowing it to define him. In a true testament to his character, the 25-year-old edge rusher is using his obstacles as motivation to become a better person and player.

Commanders edge rusher Montez Sweat is using his adversity-filled 2021 as motivation.

"“It was a difficult time, but I mean, just hold onto things that you grow upon and just facing adversity and moving forward,” Sweat told the media following Wednesday’s minicamp practice. “Just remembering those ones that [were] lost and trusting in God.”"

That’s an incredible attitude from Sweat, who also overcame a bout with the coronavirus and jaw fracture that shelved him for five weeks. After notching 16 sacks, 20 tackles for loss and 33 QB hits over his first two years, Sweat entered 2021 with a chance to position himself for a contract extension. Instead, he was in and out of the lineup and reckoned with an unspeakable level of family tragedy.

Coming off a career-low 10 games played, Sweat hit the ground running this offseason as far as training is concerned. While running mate Chase Young is likely to start training camp on the physically unable to perform list, Sweat (assuming health) will be all systems go for the Commanders in Week 1.

"“I really wasn’t as depleted as I usually am because I didn’t play a full season, so I really got straight to it [this offseason]. “I just trained…just focusing on my body, recovery, strength and pass rush skills.”"

Sweat was overjoyed after Washington exercised his fifth-year option, which guarantees him a $10.892 million salary for 2023, but the former first-round pick is using it has motivation as opposed to resting on his laurels.

"“It’s just a credit to what I done here and how the organization trusts me. It’s definitely motivation just to keep on showing that I can be great and keep on getting better.”“There’s definitely motivation. Definitely, when you have a down year, you want to bounce back, show those naysayers that you still got it. But this year, I’m just trying to prove it to myself. I’m not really worried about the outside at all…I feel the [unit] gelling, but we got a long way to go.”"

It’s impossible to put into words what Sweat endured from a mental health standpoint last season, but he seems to be taking it all in stride. Who knows? With all this motivation stored up and playing for his late mother and brother, we could see the best version of the Mississippi State product in 2022.

That’s a terrifying thought for the rest of the NFL.