This offseason, the Washington Commanders had an unintentional, or, shoot, maybe it was an intentional Wisconsin Badgers emphasis. Dan Quinn hired former Badger coach Daronte Jones as the new defensive coordinator, then made a splash in free agency by adding linebacker Leo Chenal. Now, the two are synced up, and the best part for Chenal is that Jones was a Badger at one point.
In a recent interview posted on social media by the official Washington Commanders account, Chenal was asked about the best part of Jones being his new defensive coordinator, and specifically how he likes to use linebackers like Chenal. Chenal said, "Former Wisconsin Badger, that's the biggest part.
former @BadgerFootball guys 🤞 pic.twitter.com/jpuESlgzEx
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 28, 2026
Leo Chenal and Daronte Jones share a fun Wisconsin Badger connection
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The beautiful part of this exchange, beyond the obvious, is that Chenal is still proud to be a Badger, and that's the first thing he thinks about. It's that Jones was really barely a Badger, but once a Badger, always a Badger, for Chenal.
Jones would only coach on the Wisconsin Badgers staff in 2015, and he coached the defensive backs. That's enough for Chenal. He's a Badger now and knows his defense. The two didn't even overlap at Wisconsin, as Chenal came in 2019 and was drafted in 2022 by the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Badger connection serves, and it's a fun one for fans who love to point out the defensive prowess, especially from linebackers who are still in the NFL. There are maybe even a few more living in the legacy of players like Chenal or even TJ Watt. The Badgers currently have two amazing young linebackers in Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa.
Chenal went on to talk about how he will be used for the Commanders and what it looks like to play linebacker under Jones, but that one moment is what matters for the Wisconsin fan.