It was a sensational run to the final four for the Washington Commanders in 2024. But some got more praise than others.
Terry McLaurin, Bobby Wagner, Frankie Luvu, and Austin Ekeler were named second-team All-Pros. Jayden Daniels has begun racking up NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The club got strong seasons from veterans like Brian Robinson Jr. and Sam Cosmi and rookies like Mike Sanristil and Brandon Coleman. Free agent arrivals like Zach Ertz and Dorance Armstrong Jr. were integral to a successful campaign.
The stars and near-stars were not the only reason Washington advanced to the NFC Conference Championship for the first time since 1991. Football is the ultimate team sport. No team wins without depth. No team wins without contributions from everyone on the 53-man roster.
Washington got crucial production from several players tucked away deep on the depth chart. Some of them weren’t even on the opening-day roster. Most of these weren’t on the field for a lot of snaps, and none are going to win awards. Many may not even stick with the team for the 2025 season.
But they were here in 2024. Their contributions deserve at least a small bit of recognition.
So that's what we'll do. Here are six Commanders' unsung heroes for the magical 2024 season. We'll begin with special teams ace Nick Bellore.
Commanders unsung heroes from the 2024 season
Nick Bellore - Commanders LB/ST
Nick Bellore didn’t get off the best of starts with the Washington Commanders. The veteran special-teamer had been a long-time fan-favorite and two-time Pro Bowler with the Seattle Seahawks before a new regime decided to release him. Special teams coordinator Larry Izzo was also let go by the NFC West club and knew what kind of player he was.
Adam Peters signed the veteran to the practice squad shortly before opening day. It was a tremendous piece of business that went overlooked.
On the first play of his second game, Bellore committed a holding penalty that wiped out Austin Ekeler’s 98-yard kickoff return. That would be his only infringement of the season.
The 35-year-old would play more than 70 percent of Washington's special team snaps, second only to fellow linebacker Mykal Walker. Bellore would lead the team in special team tackles. Washington’s coverage units were among the best in the league in 2024.
Bellore was by no means alone. Walker, Jeremy Reaves, Percy Butler, and Tyler Owens contributed to the improved unit. But the savvy veteran always seemed to be right in the middle of things when good plays were made on punts and kickoffs.
Sheldon Day - Commanders DT
Sheldon Day was another veteran picked up by the Washington Commanders in between the final cuts and opening day.
Adam Peters knew the Notre Dame graduate from his time with the San Francisco 49ers. During his first season as director of player personnel with the Niners, he plucked Day off waivers after he had been released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The defensive tackle remained in the Bay Area from 2017-2019, serving as a steady backup in the middle of the defensive line.
The Niners eventually decided to go younger and Day bounced around to several teams leading up to the 2024 season. Peters struck to bring him on board and his contribution was notable.
Defensive tackle was supposed to be a strength of the Commanders this year. The roster had four first or second-round draft picks in the middle of the line, along with John Ridgeway III, a young veteran holdover from recent years. But Peters recognized the need for more depth.
Signing Day allowed the general manager to complete the trade of Ridgeway. And when starter Jonathan Allen went down with an injury in Week 6, the veteran was called on to play a bigger role.
He soon rose above 2022 draft pick Phidarian Mathis as the main backup to starters Daron Payne and Johnny Newton. The Alabama product would be released and other journeyman defenders would arrive to bolster the unit.
Day played about one-quarter of the defensive snaps in 2024, registering 25 tackles and five pressures. He became part of a regular rotation that allowed Payne, Newton, and Allen to rest a bit more. He essentially did exactly what he has done throughout his entire career — providing steady play whenever called upon.
Cornelius Lucas - Commanders OT
Cornelius Lucas was one of the major unsung heroes of the Washington Commanders' last run to the playoffs. The veteran backup took over as the starting left tackle in the second half of the 2020 season and proved he could function in a bigger role. Since then, he has been an occasional starter, while serving as a swing tackle — one of the most important backup roles on a football team.
Lucas began the campaign sharing snaps with Brandon Coleman, allowing the rookie a more gradual introduction to the NFL. When the TCU product was ready for the full-time job, the veteran returned to the bench, ready to jump in if either Coleman or right tackle Andrew Wylie suffered an injury.
In that capacity, Lucas played 40 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. Most came on the left side, but he also filled in for Wylie on the right side on more than 100 reps.
His Pro Football Focus grade of 74.1 was the highest of any tackle on the team. He placed 28th in the entire league, confirming that Lucas is a starting-caliber tackle who serves as an invaluable reserve for the Commanders.
Marcus Mariota - Commanders QB
When Marcus Mariota was called on to play serious minutes, as he did against the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, he was sensational. He registered passer ratings of 132 and 141 in those two games, completing almost 80 percent of his throws and notching four touchdowns against zero interceptions.
He also showed off his wheels, averaging better than five yards per carry and scoring one more touchdown. Mariota's athleticism even allowed Kliff Kingsbury to experiment with two-quarterback sets on the odd short-yardage play.
But Mariota’s real value came off the field.
Jayden Daniels has gotten well-deserved praise for his poise and maturity during his rookie season. That does not come without great support from his coaching staff and the other quarterbacks on the team.
Sports Illustrated’s Joanne Coley wrote an article in early January describing Mariota’s role in helping mentor Daniels throughout his debut NFL campaign. The No. 2 pick credited the veteran with helping him adjust and prepare from the first day he arrived.
Mariota is a free agent this offseason and will probably go searching for another opportunity to start. He won’t get that chance in D.C., in part because of the job he did in helping Daniels quickly develop into one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Austin Seibert and Zane Gonzalez - Commanders PKs
Adam Peters thought he had resolved the Washington Commanders' kicker position in the offseason when he signed veteran Brandon McManus. Allegations of improper behavior derailed that plan and the general manager began searching for a replacement.
He cycled through several potential kickers. Peters thought he put the situation to bed with his trade for Cade York just before the season began. After a disastrous first game, the front-office leader once again went looking.
Peters signed Austin Seibert. The kicker made his debut in Week 2 against the New York Giants five days later. What a debut it was.
He scored every Commanders point, going seven for seven on field goals in a three-point win. For his efforts, Seibert was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
The veteran continued his successful run into early November when an injury forced him to the sidelines. Enter Zane Gonzalez, another journeyman, who converted two 40-plus-yard field goals in his first game.
Seibert attempted to return to the field before he was fully healthy and it showed in a terrible performance against the Dallas Cowboys in late November. After that, he went on injured reserve and Gonzalez took over for the rest of the campaign.
Even with the one awful Dallas game, the two kickers combined to convert 84 percent of their field goals and 95% of extra points. Toss out the first Cowboys game and those numbers rise to 88% and 100%.
Together, they missed just one field goal inside 50 yards.
