Mike Sainristil might be small in stature, but he's not one to back down from a challenge. It's one of the big reasons why the cornerback was given the Washington Commanders' gold standard during their pre-draft evaluations en route to taking him at No. 50 overall.
Another fine example of that arrived during the Commanders' game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10. There had been some back and forth between Sainristil and wide receiver George Pickens throughout. It threatened to boil over, which came to fruition on a play that eventually ended with an interception.
Mike Sainristil and George Pickens get chippy with altercation
Russell Wilson launched one of his moon balls downfield intended for Pickens. It was read superbly by dynamic safety Jeremy Chinn to secure the pick. The wideout and Sainristil then proceeded to have a UFC grapple on the turf as the play moved away from them.
George Pickens and Mike Sainristil just turned this NFL game into a UFC fight. pic.twitter.com/pC0UQDOu9d
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 10, 2024
Pickens plays on the edge. So does Sainristil. It makes both players enjoyable to watch as they embark on their respective league journeys. This incident lit the blue touch paper to what was already a physical battle between two in-form teams.
There was a lot of jawing afterward. Pickens wasn't called for a borderline facemask infringement when tussling with Benjamin St-Juste. This didn't go unnoticed by the fans, who raised the volume accordingly.
Sainriistil has the mentality that relishes the big moment. He doesn't care who's opposite him. The attitude remains the same with nothing but maximum effort attached.
The Commanders had a tough time coping with Pickens, in all honesty. The former Georgia standout was nothing short of relentless. There's been a different aura around the gifted pass-catcher since Wilson got the starting job from Justin Fields.
Sainristil had more success guarding him than anybody, but this was a prime example of why Washington made the daring trade for cornerback Marshon Lattimore before the deadline. The sooner that the four-time Pro Bowler is ready to participate, the better things will be in the Commanders' secondary.