Washington Commanders fan goes viral for giving rookie Emmanuel Forbes homework assignment
Leave it to a “senior” fan of the Commanders to let Emmanuel Forbes know who he should study if he wants to be the perfect Washington cornerback.
The Commanders selected Forbes, the NCAA record-breaker from Mississippi State, with the 16th pick of April’s NFL Draft. He’s big-time fast, but his size defies the league prototype for corners. When he checked in at the NFL Combine, he weighed only 166 pounds. But who cares about his weight. He notched six pick 6’s in his three years as a Bulldogs starter. That’s an NCAA record.
This past week, Forbes met an avid Commanders fan. And Robyn Stultz, who describes herself as a “senior woman fan,” offered some advice to the 22-year-old from Mississippi. Forbes was the perfect southern gentleman as he ma’amed her throughout the conversation and took her chat to heart. A video of the talk quickly went viral.
“I’ve been a fan (of the team) since the 70s,” Stultz told Emmanuel Forbes. “I don’t want an autograph, but I’d just like a picture. Now, something I want to tell you. You have big shoes to fill young man. And the shoes you’re going to fill is No. 28. And do you know who that was?”
Forbes didn’t know, so Stultz told him. “Darrell Green, the fastest corner in the NFL. So if you haven’t watched his tape … you start studying.”
“I absolutely love the fans here,” the young cornerback said. Stultz asked for a hug and the two posed for a photo. It was a perfect fan moment. The Washington social media team featured the exchange as part of its “Commanders Log” digital series.
His coaches also are delighted with Emmanuel Forbes
Emmanuel Forbes is turning heads at the Commanders OTAs. And the Washington coaches loved him long before the draft. They very nearly traded up to make sure they got him. But no one has dropped the Darrell Green reference.
“Really fired up about getting him, adding him to the squad,” defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio told reporters. “I think he’s a tremendous football player. You know, he’s fast. He’s got great ball skills. He’s very bright, and he played against some of the best competition that you can in the SEC and held up week in and week out was a playmaker. Very productive. So happy to get ’em.”
Coach Ron Rivera shared a similar assessment of Forbes. “He’s looked pretty good. He’s very quick. That’s one of the things that he is, he’s really quick. When you get those little water bug routes where the guys are trying to run options off you inside or out, he seems to handle those very well.”
Darrell Green was fastest man in NFL who played until age 42
Meanwhile, old-school Washington fans will be dancing in their seats at FedEx Field this fall if Emmanuel Forbes starts to play like Darrell Green. The cornerback was a star from then Texas A&I in Kingsville. He was a compact, 5-9, 184 pounds, but he was blistering fast, earning All-American in both football and track. Coincidentally, Washington selected Green with the 28th pick of the 1983 draft. He spent his entire career in D.C., retiring in 2002 a few weeks short of his 43rd birthday. Green was the fastest man in the NFL for much of his career. He often credited Tootsie Rolls for his speed. So maybe Forbes can pick up all of Green’s habits.
Stultz’s conversation caught Green’s attention. The Pro Football Hall of Famer now is an associate athletic director at George Mason. He tweeted “If you really want to study ole #28, here is the secret! Find your purpose and ball out for God’s glory everyday starting at home, then in your locker room, on the field and in the community. Everything for God’s Glory! Welcome to the nations capital Mr. Forbes.”