Commanders News: Magic Johnson, Ron Rivera, Charles Leno Jr. and Week 7
By Dean Jones
Commanders owner Magic Johnson's delight
After an embarrassing loss against the Chicago Bears on primetime, limited partner Magic Johnson called out the Washington Commanders for a perceived lack of effort with the entire NFL world watching. This immediately laid down the gauntlet to Ron Rivera and those in the front office and cast further doubt on their respective futures.
If the Pro Basketball Hall of Famer was looking for a positive response, he got it. The Commanders rolled up their sleeves and got the job done by any means necessary, with some important defensive stops down the stretch sealing a hugely important triumph.
Johnson took to social media after the game to congratulate the Commanders on an improved display. He also lauded the fanbase for turning out in their numbers on the road to spur the team on.
"Congratulations to my Commanders on today’s 24-16 win vs. the Falcons! Defense came up big twice in today’s win with two interceptions in the last 5 minutes, one by [Benjamin] St. Juste and one by [Jamin] Davis. Coach [Ron] Rivera really had the team ready to play! I want to thank all of the Washington Commanders fans for coming out because they helped will us to victory! We had more fans in Mercedes Benz Stadium than the Falcons!"
-Â Magic Johnson via X/Twitter
This is a week-to-week evaluation for Johnson and the rest of Josh Harris' ownership group. That's why it's pivotal for Rivera and his players to keep building positivity over the next few weeks against opposition they can beat.