Magic Johnson says Commanders, his new team, missing 'intensity' and 'fire'

Magic Johnson wanted more from his new team. The Commanders rallied and took the defending NFC champions to overtime last weekend. On Thursday, Washington lost to a winless team.

As the Bears celebrated their first win since last Halloween, Johnson launched the perfect tweet. In it, he was the old, competitive point guard and not the super successful businessman who is a limited partner in the new Commanders ownership group.

Magic Johnson wrote: “Tonight the Commanders played with no intensity or fire. We didn’t compete in the first half and got down 27-3 heading into halftime. It was too big of a hole to climb out of and that is why we ended up losing 40-20.”

Tonight the Commanders played with no intensity or fire. We didn’t compete in the first half and got down 27-3 heading into halftime. It was too big of a hole to climb out of and that is why we ended up losing 40-20.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) October 6, 2023

Ouch, Commanders, you’d best duck. But in a post-game media session, at least one of the players didn’t disagree with Johnson’s assessment.

“It doesn’t matter what your intentions are, ” receiver Terry McLaurin told reporters. “It’s what you put out there on the field. I know we don’t have a lazy bunch. I know we don’t have a non-intense group of guys That showing is not reflective of us, but that’s who we are — we put that on tape.”

Now, contrast that to what Magic Johnson was launching last week into the social media universe, when Washington lost to the Eagles, 34-31, in Philadelphia.

Johnson wrote: “Even though we lost the game, I’m proud and happy with the Commanders team effort on both sides of the ball, the way Sam Howell played, and the way we bounced back from the Bills loss!”

Even though we lost the game, I’m proud and happy with the @Commanders team effort on both sides of the ball, the way Sam Howell played, and the way we bounced back from the Bills loss!

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) October 1, 2023

And Johnson followed up that nice post with this one:

“Hopefully the effort we displayed in this game will be part of our DNA all season long.”

No wonder Magic seemed so irritated with Thursday’s outcome in primetime.

Hopefully the effort we displayed in this game will be part of our DNA all season long.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) October 1, 2023

Magic Johnson is part of the ownership group (led by Josh Harris) that bought the Commanders just before the season started. Many Washington fans might refer to the buy as a rescue, since few liked previous owner Dan Snyder. So the Commanders faithful probably is giving the team a pass in this Washington has allowed at least 33 points in each of its last four games.

It sounds like Magic Johnson is all out of passes. Next up is a road date at the Falcons.

Although Johnson’s chosen sport was basketball, he knows other sports. After all, he owns stakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers and the WNBA’s LA Sparks as well as the LA franchise in MLS.