Countless troubling injuries have decimated the Washington Commanders' chances of making another postseason run this season, but they've also created opportunities for others to flourish. And there is one veteran previously down on his luck who seized the moment with both hands.
Back in August, when making my final roster predictions for 2025, I made the classic mistake of assuming that because Dan Quinn kept six cornerbacks last season, he would do the same this year. Five corners were set. I reasoned that the last spot would go to either rookie undrafted free agent Car’lin Vigers or veteran journeyman Antonio Hamilton Sr.
Hamilton had only joined the team a few weeks before, but he had clearly performed as well or better than all the other hopefuls at the position. Unfortunately for him, the final roster had only the five locks at cornerback. Hamilton and Vigers both went to the practice squad.
Hamilton didn’t stay there long.
Antonio Hamilton Sr. deserves an extended Commanders run after Week 15 breakout
When fellow veteran Jonathan Jones went down with an injury in Week 2, Hamilton was called up. He may have been the most anonymous player on the entire squad, but the 10-year vet from South Carolina State has been active for every Commanders’ game this season from Week 3 on. However, it wasn’t until Week 15 against the New York Giants that he got a real chance to showcase his credentials.
Though he had been active for 11 consecutive games, Hamilton had logged just 34 snaps on defense before the Giants’ game. Most of his action had come on special teams.
Jones hurt his ribs and was unable to suit up at MetLife Stadium. With regular perimeter corners Marshon Lattimore and Trey Amos already on the injured list, Quinn was left with Noah Igbinoghene in the slot and Mike Sainristil on the outside. Hamilton got the start on the opposite boundary.
The Giants tested him early. On their first offensive series, facing a 3rd-and-6 from the Commanders’ 33-yard line, Jaxson Dart threw deep for New York’s fastest wideout, Darius Slayton. Hamilton had him blanketed in single coverage. The pass fell incomplete, and New York missed its subsequent field goal attempt.
That was one of four times Hamilton was tasked with covering Slayton. He allowed just a single completion for 19 receiving yards. He only allowed one other completion — a short dump off to running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., which the defensive back immediately shut down for a two-yard gain.
For the game, the veteran allowed just two of seven targets to be completed for 21 receiving yards. Hamilton was officially credited with one pass breakup and four tackles.
The Commanders' other two cornerbacks — Sainristil and Igbinoghene — allowed completions on seven of 10 targets for more than 100 total yards.
For his efforts, Hamilton received Washington’s highest overall defensive grade for the game from Pro Football Focus. Those grades don’t always pass the eye test, but in this case, they did.
Hamilton played 56 snaps. This was 22 more than he had played in the entire season through the first 14 weeks — and he held up beautifully.
There are caveats galore about Hamilton’s fine day. The main one concerns the opponent's quality.
Dart has wowed football fans this season and injected much-needed energy into a moribund Giants franchise. But he is still a rookie prone to inaccurate throws. And after going up against the likes of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Justin Jefferson in recent weeks, New York's average receiving corps must have been a welcome sight for Washington’s secondary.
A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith should provide a stiffer test this weekend when Washington hosts Philadelphia. But for at least one week, Hamilton proved that at 32, he is still capable of playing at a high level when he gets the chance.
With Jones' status uncertain, although he is back at practice, Hamilton may get a lot more of those chances in the final stretch of the season.