Mike Shanahan said Monday he wasn't waving the white flag on the Washington Redskins' season with his comments following a dispiriting home loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Some Redskins players expressed disappointment with Shanahan calling the season an "evaluation." Others chose not to read into it.
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"I think you guys made a little bit bigger deal about it than what we thought it was," Redskins left tackle Trent Williams said Tuesday, via 106.7 FM in Washington.
"We're really too old for pep talks," he went on. "That's not going to get a flame going. You're not talking to 18-year-olds."
Veteran linebacker London Fletcher said Shanahan has already clarified himself to Redskins players. Fletcher added there's "no divide" in the locker room.
"If you were here before he got here, you definitely notice a culture change," said Fletcher, who's been in Washington since 2007. "You notice a talent change."
We tend to agree with Williams' assessment. Shanahan was upset on Sunday, and he could've gotten the same message across without inciting a controversy if he phrased himself better. It doesn't help that people can chew on this storyline during the Redskins' bye week.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.