Former Tide football star, Washington Commanders rookie Mike Sainristil ready to take on the Patriots Sunday night on national TV

By Joe McConnell

Everett football fans can tune-in Sunday night (Aug. 25) to watch former Everett High School (EHS) Super Bowl hero Mike Sainristil play for the Washington Commanders against the visiting the New England Patriots in the third and final exhibition game of the season. NBC is telecasting the game, and it will be shown locally on Channel 10 at 8 p.m.

The Commanders rookie defensive back played a pivotal role in last year’s national championship run by the University of Michigan Wolverines, before being drafted by Washington this past April in the second round of the NFL Draft. He was the 50th overall pick.

Sainristil quickly caught the eye of Commanders head coach Dan Quinn and his staff. “Mike Sainristil has been somebody that’s been really, consistently strong. It’s about stopping the run, it’s also about the pass coverages, and everything else that goes into that position,” Quinn said of his rookie defensive back last week. “Playing nickel is a lot like playing safety. There’s stopping the run again, there’s making the proper calls, and there’s the checkoffs before the snap. Things happen quickly, and Mikey has certainly shown he’s up for the task to be in that spot.”

Despite being a first-year player, Quinn also added that Sainristil has been a “stabilizing influence” since the start of training camp last month.