Prayers up for Dan Quinn after Montez Sweat’s assessment of Commanders ‘toxic’ losing culture

Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has transformed the Chicago Bears into one of the more intriguing squads in the NFL virtually overnight, and understandably so. His teammate and Pro Bowl edge rusher Montez Sweat can undoubtedly feel the vibe shift, especially compared to his four-and-a-half-year stint with the Washington Commanders.

Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times interviewed Sweat, who absolutely blasted the Commanders for their dismal culture. The star pass-rusher knocked Washington for their lack of desire to win, demonstrated by trading him to Chicago ahead of the 2023 trade deadline.

"It was a toxic, heavy toll, just losing and people around you being kinda OK with losing," Sweat told Lieser. "It could sometimes rub off on you. You’ve gotta stay hungry and know that you want to win."

However, the Commanders have recently undergone a massive organizational overhaul. There are a lot of fresh faces in the building, including head coach Dan Quinn, who got hired this offseason. But based on Sweat's comments, Washington's new sideline general will have his work cut out for him.

HC Dan Quinn will have his hands full based on Montez Sweat’s assessment of Commanders ‘toxic’ losing culture

There's a lot of moving parts in Washington. Quinn got brought in by the modern Josh Harris-led ownership group. Moreover, the Commanders reinvigorated their front office, spearheaded by first-year general manager Adam Peters. Still, Sweat's comments should sound alarm bells for the generally dysfunctional franchise.

Meanwhile, Lieser notes Sweat calling Chicago "a great atmosphere" despite initially not choosing the Bears as a preferred destination. Considering how the defensive lineman feels about Washington, any scenery change can turn into a splendid environment.

Notably, the Bears gave Sweat 98 million reasons to alleviate any potential uneasiness he may have about the Windy City shortly upon his arrival. But that shouldn't quell any concerns Quinn will presumably feel after catching wind of these remarks.

Per Lieser, the Commanders "caught [Sweat] off guard" by shipping him to the Bears midseason. While the soon-to-be 28-year-old is happy with how things ended up, he's ostensibly still got the Washington on his mind. 

Luckily (for us), the Bears travel to D.C. to face the Commanders in Week 8 of the 2024 regular season. All eyes will be on Sweat in what should be a revenge matchup for him, and an avenge opportunity for his former employer.