Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Commanders' Dan Quinn gives honest assessment of rising defender

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Nov 7, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Washington Commanders defensive back Mike Sainristil is in his second NFL season, where he has seen highs and lows.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn shared his thoughts on Sainristil's season so far.

“Yeah, I would say there's been up and down moments," Quinn said of Sainristil. "Meaning the playmaking, the interceptions I saw at LA and you know, the last couple weeks. So, the ball hawking mindset, which I love. There's also been a couple of plays of overtrying, you know, to make those plays."

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Sainristil navigating struggles, triumphs in second season

Sainristil recorded his third interception of the season in the team's Week 9 loss against the Seattle Seahawks, his first since Oct. 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers. It snapped a long drought for Sainristil, who had been struggling in recent weeks.

Quinn spoke on what Sainristil needs to do in order to get back on track.

"I think he has to lean into the discipline and the technique because when you play with that and you have that and you can lean on that then you're good because now I know I can play the technique and play it when you're maybe, ‘I'm off, I'm back, I want to take a shot.’ Then you're now out of the technique," Quinn said.

"So I think there's like a real discipline that has to take place and as you're going through, sometimes I feel like he's older than going into the second year, but some of those players that have more years, ‘Okay, that's not the time.’ That's not the place to go take your shot. He's still learning that and I know that he'll learn from it. He’s a sharp guy, but we can't have ones where you can and where you can't."

With teammate Marshon Lattimore out for the season with a torn ACL, Sainristil's responsibilities in the secondary will grow. The team is counting on him to be a playmaker for the defense, but he has to be smart about how to attack it.

If Sainristil can show that restraint, he will improve as a player.