The legacy left by Joe Theismann would have been very different if Kim Bokamper had better hands. One fingertip catch by the Dolphins’ defensive end in Super Bowl XVII, and we’d be talking about the quarterback who gave away a championship instead of the one who helped win it. But Theismann jumped in as his life depended on it to knock the would-be pick-six away because fate had other intentions. “At that moment I just wanted to find the football…The last thing I thought was, ‘Let me just take a dive and see if I can get my hand up in between his two and knock the ball away,’” Theisman told Kay Adams. “And I sat there in the end zone…Going, ‘Woo, that was close.’”
Not just a season was saved by that play. It preserved history. Now, after forty years, the man who once went all out to save Washington’s dreams is witnessing his former team make a mistake, not on a play but on a player. A player named Terry McLaurin.
Joe Theismann and Kay Adams unleashed one of the sharpest critiques the Commanders’ front office has heard in a long time. It wasn’t subtle either. Theismann didn’t hesitate when asked about the most recent contract controversy involving McLaurin. “That would be a major problem for all of us that appreciate what the commanders have done, what Terry has done,” he said. “Terry’s a dear friend. He’s just a great young man, a great leader…He needs to be paid. He needs to be paid right away.” This wasn’t some nostalgic ex-player loyalty talking. Theismann wasn’t playing the ‘I’m an alum, so I’ll toe the line’ game. He was calling out the very people running the franchise – and making it clear they were on the verge of a monumental mistake.
Washington Commanders vs. Detroit Lions DETROIT,MICHIGAN-JANUARY 18: Wide receiver Terry McLaurin 17 of the Washington Commanders runs in a touchdown during an NFL, American Football Herren, USA Divisional Round game between the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Saturday, January 18, 2025. Detroit Michigan United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xAmyxLemusx originalFilename:lemus-washingt250118_npMSz.jpg
He listed off everything McLaurin brings to the table – his speed, his toughness, his professionalism, his work ethic – and then dropped the mic. “I would put him up against anybody that plays wide receiver in the National Football League. I don’t care who it is,” Joe Theismann said.
“I don’t care how fast you are…I don’t care how tough you think you are. He encompasses it all. And from my perspective, that’s a deal that must get done and must get done soon.” And just in case GM Adam Peters thought this was a light suggestion? Joe Theismann made it clear: McLaurin isn’t the cherry on top. He’s the “mortar that keeps the bricks together.” The irreplaceable piece. Without him, the entire offensive structure starts to look like drywall in a thunderstorm.
Terry McLaurin contract drama gets hotter by the day
Here’s what we know: Terry McLaurin isn’t showing up. Not to OTAs. Not to minicamp. And unless Washington suddenly finds a few million more under the couch cushions, not to training camp either. He wants to be paid like a top receiver – $24 to $30 million per year, depending on the structure. And for a guy coming off 82 catches, 1,096 yards, and a career-best 13 touchdowns with a revolving door at quarterback? That’s not outrageous. That’s called the market rate.
But instead of locking it down, Washington’s dragging its feet. Slow-playing like this is a back-end roster negotiation. Meanwhile, the trade rumors are picking up speed. And the team most likely to take advantage of the chaos? The Pittsburgh Steelers.
So when Steelers insider Mark Kaboly tossed out a grenade on X, “Did the Steelers trade for McLaurin?” fans didn’t laugh it off. They leaned in. FanSided’s Romell Williams said McLaurin would be “perfectly” fit with Rodgers. And here’s the thing: the fit is too good. McLaurin’s strengths are Rodgers’ demands. Clean routes. Sharp timing. Just production. And in an offense that already features DK Metcalf on one side, McLaurin would make Pittsburgh’s passing game terrifying. Which is exactly why Washington should be panicking. Because just like that Super Bowl dive Joe Theismann made to save the day, this one might just end the same way – with a win, just not for Washington.
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