Washington Redskins receiver DeSean Jackson is the first to admit he can be hard to handle sometimes — at least that’s what he did on Wednesday at the team’s 54th annual Welcome Home Luncheon at the Ronald Regan Building and International Trade Center.
Jackson didn’t have too many words to say after accepting the team’s offensive player of the year award for the 2014 season, but what he did say lured some laughs from those in attendance.
“I don’t know how I deal with y’all but I do it. I don’t know how y’all deal with me but we do it,” Jackson said, addressing his teammates and coaches.
In his first season with the Redskins after being unceremoniously cut by the Philadelphia Eagles, Jackson hauled in 56 catches for 1,169 yards and six touchdowns.
Prior to the awards ceremony, Jackson reflected on last season, calling it just, “alright,” only because he wants to see the team improve on it’s 4-12 record.
“I think it was a pretty good year, you always try to shoot for the stars and the moon and as an individual, I did alright,” Jackson said. “As far as the team, I don’t think we did well enough so sometimes your individual play is not what counts and is what’s important, you want to go after the team goals and bring the team along with you and win games. I think as far as stats, it was an alright year but as far as a team perspective, we’d like to do a lot better.”
Linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, who signed a five-year extension after tallying 13.5 sacks last season, was bestowed the team’s defensive player of the year award, while punter Tress Way earned the team’s special teams player of the year award.
The 25-year-old Way enjoyed a breakout season in 2014, leading the league with a 47.5-yard gross punting average after being cut from the Chicago Bears earlier in the preseason.
“Two years ago I got cut by the Chicago Bears and thought about hanging up the cleats, but my beautiful wife and my mom and dad encouraged me to stay with it, to stay with the process,” Way said. “It was this time last year I was sitting at the luncheon and nervous about getting out for the next preseason game. I’m still trying to prove to myself, prove to my coaches, prove to everybody I can still play at this level.”
Quarterback Robert Griffin III was the first player to be honored during the ceremony when he was presented the Redskins Salute Award by Major General James Lukeman, acknowledging a player for their appreciation and involvement with giving back to service members.
“It’s an honor to be in this position to have this platform to be able to give back in a positive way and that’s a choice you have to make,” Griffin said. “A lot of teammates have led me in the right direction to be able to use my platform for a positive thing. In the military, the one thing you have is your word. You give your word to somebody, it means you’re going to follow through and I give my word to my family, to the Washington Redskins, to my teammates, to the military that I will be there for them.”
Fullback Darrel Young was also honored as the Redskins’ community man of the year and cited running back Alfred Morris as his inspiration for giving back to the community. Former Redskins players and Super Bowl winners Jeff Bostic and Monte Coleman were also inducted into the team’s Ring of Fame.
• Anthony Gulizia can be reached at agulizia@washingtontimes.com.
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