Washington's Management Punishes Running Back for Poor Play

Washington Commanders running back Antonio Gibson is practicing with the team's punt team and third-string offense. 

Yikes.

This comes as a result of Gibson's dismal August, where the running back fumbled during a preseason game and played significant snaps with the backups. 

Offensive coordinator Scott Turner spoke on Gibson's fumbles: "You can't waste a possession; if you fumble the ball that's a waste of a possession. The first job is to protect the ball. It's something that has to be fixed."

OC Scott Turner on RB Antonio Gibson's fumbles: "You can't waste a possession; if you fumble the ball that's a waste of a possession. The first job is to protect the ball. It's something that has to be fixed."

— John Keim (@john_keim) August 16, 2022

Head coach Ron Rivera was very critical and didn't hold back when speaking of Gibson's poor preseason showing. He appears to be sending a message by demoting him to punt team work and practice with third-string players. 

To make matters worse for Gibson, rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. has been excelling this preseason. 

This past weekend, Robinson rushed six times for 26 yards and a touchdown in Washington's 23-21 preseason loss to the Carolina Panthers. He also caught two of two targets for 15 yards. 

Robinson was very impressive, scoring the only touchdown for Washington's first-string offense and consistently breaking past the line of scrimmage. He's earning himself a serious role in Washington's offense and, if Gibson continues to struggle, he may even take the RB1 spot. 

The twenty-three year old was a third-round pick of the Washington Commanders in the 2022 NFL Draft. 

Photo Credit:  Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports