At the midway point in the season, coaches will try anything to fix prolonged issues. For Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., it’s a change of scenery.
On Sunday's playoff rematch against the Detroit Lions, Whitt will leave the coordinator booth and call the defensive side of the ball from the field. Speaking with the media on Thursday, Whitt explained his decision:
"Moving to the field, I think, the energy that I have in practice that can be probably positive within the game for the players. Couple of the guys have been asking for me to come down as well, and so I think it’s time for that to happen. We got to do whatever we have to do to get a win."
When asked if there were examples where such a move could’ve been effective earlier, Whitt immediately met that question with a “No,” adding, “I’m not going to sit here and say that, okay, ‘If I would’ve been down here before, this thing would’ve been different.’ Not going to say that.” Whitt continued, “I’m going to say that we’re going to try something different because the results that we’ve been getting aren’t good enough.”
The Commanders are currently riding a four-game losing streak, allowing an average of 33.75 points per game. Overall, their 26.2 points allowed per game ranks 22nd in the league. They rank 29th in passing yards allowed per game (253.6) and 24th in rushing yards allowed (124.2), and their overall total yardage allowed ranks 28th (377.8). Despite this, the Commanders still have future Hall of Famers Bobby Wagner and Von Miller on their defense, which could give the shuffling Lions' offensive line issues.
Like the Lions, the Commanders have also struggled with injury issues. This past week alone, the Commanders lost quarterback Jayden Daniels (Elbow), wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (Collarbone), and cornerback Marshon Lattimore (ACL) for an extended period of time. Whitt and the Commanders are scrambling to try to find their own "Legion of Whom" beyond their Hall of Fame duo, and Whitt's move, the Commanders hope, will go a long way toward righting the ship.
Does John Morton need to leave the booth as well?
After the Detroit Lions’ loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, fans were quick to question the decision to have Morton call games from the booth. Communication was a major issue in that loss, one that could’ve been mitigated to an extent with the offensive coordinator on the sideline.
After that Week 1 loss, quarterback Jared Goff on 97.1 The Ticket shut down the notion that it even matters, saying, “No, I think that’s foolish.”
Entering Week 10, communication is still being called into question. Colton Pouncey of The Athletic posted two conflicting quotes from this week. One from head coach Dan Campbell after the Week 9 loss to the Vikings, saying that the team "did not handle some of the communication well." The other from Morton on Thursday, saying, "Our communication has been really good."
Dan Campbell on Sunday: “Listen, we did not handle some of the communication well. ...That’s the bottom line. We’re better than that. We just are.”
— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) November 6, 2025
John Morton on Thursday: "Our communication has been really good, ever since the Green Bay game. It's been really good."
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Right now, the results don’t lie. The offense isn’t where it should be, and changes need to be made. If Campbell isn’t going to seize play-calling duties like he did with Anthony Lynn around the same time in 2021, then Morton should seriously consider making a similar move as Whitt has.
Whether or not a move to the sideline truly matters remains to be seen, but Whitt’s move is a big test of that theory. If the Commanders' defense comes up big on Sunday and wins, then there may not be a choice but for Morton to have a change of scenery, whether it’s on the sideline or in a reduced role.