WEBVTT - End of Season Interviews: Curtis Samuel | Episode 73

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to the Command Center Podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. Things

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<v Speaker 1>have been super quiet around the practice facility here in

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<v Speaker 1>Ashburn as the players are all gone, the coaches are

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<v Speaker 1>all gone, but they'll be back before we know when

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<v Speaker 1>OTAs pick up again. Now until them, well, we have

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<v Speaker 1>memories of the season that was to keep us company. Now.

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<v Speaker 1>One of those memories came in the first game of

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<v Speaker 1>the season when Washington played its first regular season game

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<v Speaker 1>as the Commanders. It was a close matchup with the

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<v Speaker 1>Jacks won. The Commanders won twenty eight to twenty two,

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<v Speaker 1>and six of those points came via a touchdown reception

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<v Speaker 1>from Curtis Samuel. Pretty cool moment to be a part

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<v Speaker 1>of and something Curtis discussed when he joined London Fletcher

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<v Speaker 1>and Santana Moss and the Players Club after locker clean

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<v Speaker 1>out here it is thanks for joining us again, man,

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<v Speaker 1>before you wait out to do I know everybody go,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, to get to the postseason and get to

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<v Speaker 1>the big dance. Unfortunately we didn't get a chance that

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<v Speaker 1>How you feel as a seva, how you feel that

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<v Speaker 1>you guys in your room responding this year with all

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<v Speaker 1>the different musical chairs, with the quarterbacks, and everything like that. Um,

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<v Speaker 1>I feel like we did a great job. We didn't

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<v Speaker 1>really one thing. I like that. We didn't really do

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<v Speaker 1>it Like we didn't really focus on pay attention too

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<v Speaker 1>much of Oh who was at quarterback? You know what

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<v Speaker 1>I'm saying. Focus on our job as a receiver, just

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<v Speaker 1>to get open, No, no matter who's out there. We

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<v Speaker 1>got to make the job easier on the quarterbacks. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>try to win, try to win out one on one

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<v Speaker 1>matchups and give our quarterback the best chance I possible

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<v Speaker 1>to complete the ball for you. M sixty four receps

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<v Speaker 1>and second on the team in receptions. Was that? Uh? No?

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<v Speaker 1>After last year and you know, not being healthy, you

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<v Speaker 1>go through the season, play the full season. How did

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<v Speaker 1>it feel to be able to show show DC and

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<v Speaker 1>show this area what you were what you were capable

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<v Speaker 1>of doing. Oh, that was very important for me. I

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<v Speaker 1>feel like that was one of the things last year.

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<v Speaker 1>I want to play so bad. It's just one of

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<v Speaker 1>those things like they brought me here to you know,

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<v Speaker 1>play and to be out there and you know, make plays.

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<v Speaker 1>You know what I'm saying. I come to be out there.

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<v Speaker 1>So that was kind of frustrating. So they you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I take the all season hard. I pushed myself to

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<v Speaker 1>limits that I ain't even know I could do certain things. Honestly,

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<v Speaker 1>like I'm like, I can't. I don't want no surprises

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<v Speaker 1>during the season. I want to know that I can cut,

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<v Speaker 1>I can plan, I can stop on a dime after

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<v Speaker 1>running full speed and be able to do it the

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<v Speaker 1>next day. So, you know, being out there, being being

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<v Speaker 1>able to be out there this year and make an impact,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, that's exciting for me. Speaking of how you

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<v Speaker 1>attack the off season last year, Um, what are your

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<v Speaker 1>off season plans do you? Are you one of the

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<v Speaker 1>guys that take a little time, get a little you know,

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<v Speaker 1>get away from the game a little bit, or are

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<v Speaker 1>you one of those guys say, hey, man, you know

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<v Speaker 1>at the week or so, I got to get back

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<v Speaker 1>out there in the gym. Oh No, I definitely take

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<v Speaker 1>some time. I know me more importantly, I know, as

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<v Speaker 1>I say this all the time, as long as I'm available,

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<v Speaker 1>I know them and make something happen. You know. My

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<v Speaker 1>main goal each and every all seasons is to be healthy,

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<v Speaker 1>get my body that time to rest and and then

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<v Speaker 1>start training. You mentioned that on the first time you

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<v Speaker 1>came on Players Club in college, you and Terry went

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<v Speaker 1>fishing this uh this salt season. Any any players to

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<v Speaker 1>go fishing? We're not We're not listen here here here

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<v Speaker 1>be out. The reason I asked that is because I've

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<v Speaker 1>only been fishing like once or twice. We call one fish.

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<v Speaker 1>We're gonna bring the players club ta and I be

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<v Speaker 1>you a tear. We're gonna go fishing. I ain't getting

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<v Speaker 1>I ain't get on the boat. I ain't getting on

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<v Speaker 1>the fishing. I don't like we can do that. Let me,

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<v Speaker 1>let me be on the dock. Just give me the wan.

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<v Speaker 1>Want to go on the boat at all? Not at all.

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<v Speaker 1>Not I I said the same thing, like you could swim,

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<v Speaker 1>but can't you like that's different. I don't even I

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<v Speaker 1>don't even like the beach. Yeah, I'll be honest, I

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<v Speaker 1>don't like the beach. You like the pool? Yeah, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>pool guy. You ain't wrong. You know I lived on

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<v Speaker 1>the water at one time and I used to go

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<v Speaker 1>out there with my jet skis, and I should be like, bro,

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<v Speaker 1>you know what, it's just all just for the looks,

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<v Speaker 1>because it ain't. I don't like this open seat listen

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<v Speaker 1>stuff down there. I don't want to see so come on,

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<v Speaker 1>I ain't at when you think about this season, the

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<v Speaker 1>abbs and flow of it. This last question for me,

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<v Speaker 1>what are you going to remember most about this year?

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<v Speaker 1>That's tough, h Honestly, first game of the season, I

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<v Speaker 1>feel like that was just one of those statement games

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<v Speaker 1>for me, um mentally, you know, for me and for

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<v Speaker 1>other people. You know, I was able to go out there,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, score the first touchdown Commander's history, after dealing

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<v Speaker 1>what I dealt dealt with last year. Um able to

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<v Speaker 1>catch the ball in space, made guys miss show the crowd,

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<v Speaker 1>get them hyped. I remember how crazy the crowd was

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<v Speaker 1>going when I was out there doing all those moves,

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<v Speaker 1>and I just felt the energy and the excitement, you

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<v Speaker 1>know that that the fans had for that first game

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<v Speaker 1>of the season, and I really felt like I was back.

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<v Speaker 1>So that's a moment that I would never forget. And

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<v Speaker 1>speaking of that moment, and you know, like I said, Wenna,

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<v Speaker 1>let you get up out of here, that's something that

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<v Speaker 1>we want to see more of. I mean, I understand

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<v Speaker 1>that this group, the receiver corps, had a productive season,

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<v Speaker 1>but when the talent like you guys have, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>even though you had sixty four catches. That's cool, but

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<v Speaker 1>I see I feel like we left a lot out

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<v Speaker 1>there with you about talking about everybody in general, with you,

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<v Speaker 1>it was more than what we can I'm okay with

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<v Speaker 1>that gadget stuff. I'm cool with that. No, you can

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<v Speaker 1>do it because you played the back position. But I

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<v Speaker 1>think as a receiver, you a mismatched waiting to happen,

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<v Speaker 1>and I feel like it's a lot more we haven't

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<v Speaker 1>stored you. So I'm just saying this on your way out,

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<v Speaker 1>and I'm hoping and I'm looking forward to us expanding

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<v Speaker 1>your role. I'm seeing you with more yards and more

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<v Speaker 1>touchdowns and more touches because I feel like we left

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<v Speaker 1>a lot out there, and you know, um, we can

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<v Speaker 1>be that much more potent as a receiver, corp and

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<v Speaker 1>as an offense if we really allow you guys to flourish. Absolutely. Um,

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<v Speaker 1>I definitely agree with you on that one. Um how

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<v Speaker 1>I how I UM attack that Mentally, it's just saying

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<v Speaker 1>I gotta attack the season hard. You know what I'm saying.

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<v Speaker 1>I gotta I gotta be in the best shape. I

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<v Speaker 1>gotta become the best receiver I could possibly be. Because

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<v Speaker 1>once as soon as OTA's hit and I got out

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<v Speaker 1>and showed them and do those things consistently. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not saying I haven't, but just keep on doing

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<v Speaker 1>it over and over again. We'll build the trust within

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<v Speaker 1>the coaches. And you know it's to say, hey, let's

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<v Speaker 1>get this guy the ball. So that's how on my part,

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<v Speaker 1>that's how I affect that. You know, I can't control um,

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<v Speaker 1>the play calling, whoever get the ball, you know, but

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<v Speaker 1>all I can do is just, um, go out there,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, keep improving and show the coaches that I'm

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<v Speaker 1>that I'm here and that I want the ball and

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<v Speaker 1>um that I'm make something happen when I touched the ball.

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<v Speaker 1>Appreciate thank you for all your news and analysis. For

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<v Speaker 1>sure to tune into Command Center weeknights at five and

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<v Speaker 1>ten pm on NBC Sports Washington. You can also stream

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<v Speaker 1>on YouTube and commanders dot com.