Nobody would blame Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin for being frustrated with the franchise that drafted him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Because beyond simply selecting him, the Commanders organization has done very little in giving him the kind of platform needed to showcase all of his talents on a consistent basis.
Still, McLaurin remains one of the most dedicated players in Washington, always smiling when you see him outside the privacy of his home or the facility when media are not invited in, and never taking the bait when given a chance to air his grievances publicly.
"Honestly, I think I try to stay in my process and I think when I was young, you look around guys in the league and your peers, you're like, man, 'I could do what they're doing.' You know what I mean? And I think people can't necessarily appreciate, as a receiver, I feel like you play probably one of the most dependent positions on the field," McLaurin said on a recent appearance on SportsCenter. "I think for me, I've really gotten comfortable being uncomfortable. I don't try to stress who's going to be back there at quarterback, but just knowing that I'm going to be prepared when my number is called. And so it's like a no-excuse mentality where all those things are factors and they're pieces to the puzzle, but I'll never hang my hat and use that as an excuse from the unpredictability it's been at times."
"I've really gotten comfortable being uncomfortable. I don't try to stress who's going to be back there at quarterback, but just knowing that I'm going to be prepared when my number is called."Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders WR
It's sad in a lot of ways because as beloved as McLaurin is by the Commanders fan base he's missing the partner every great receiver needs to really cement himself in the history books of a franchise and the NFL.
And time is close to running out for him to be the primary guy for an electric quarterback. Rookie Jayden Daniels may very well be his last chance to form a dynamic duo, in fact.
Forming that is about more than talent, however, and McLaurin is doing everything he can to get to know his newest quarterback as best he can.
"That really starts when you get to know someone because you get to learn what they're about. You get to learn their whys and why they put the time and the effort into what they're doing," McLaurin said about the importance of he and Daniels getting to know one another. "Then it's honestly easier when you have that connection, to be honest. We don't take any conversation that we have in our building amongst teammates personal because we know our brothers are looking out for us and they just want the best for not only us, but the entire team. So I think he exudes that. And our personal relationship I think is really going to help us and our entire group as we go forward."
Another new quarterback, new relationship, but the same mission-focused and dedicated McLaurin Washington has come to know and love.
