Despite being the smallest player on the field, Ar'Darius Washington approaches his job like he approached tackling big Steelers tight end Darnell Washington – fearlessly.
Washington is the Ravens' new starting safety next to Kyle Hamilton, getting the nod over Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson. Washington was one of the Ravens’ highest-graded players against the Steelers, and he's clearly earned Hamilton's respect.
After injuries derailed two seasons of Washington's young career, he's now in position to make it a big Year 4.
"I think in my three years here, 'A.D.' has been one of the more resilient people on the team," Hamilton said.
"Super happy for him and just thankful I get to play beside somebody like that and have somebody who's as much of a professional as he is, after maybe not being in the position that he wanted to be in at the start of the season. We're getting down to the crunch time of the season, and he's a big part of our defense."
Washington played every snap against the Steelers and recorded 12 tackles, second only to Roquan Smith. Washington had an open-field tackle for loss near the red-zone and was only credited with giving up two catches for two yards by Pro Football Focus.
"It meant a lot," Washington said of becoming a starter. "All the hard work that I put in, it finally comes into play this year."
Undrafted out of TCU in 2021, Washington suffered a season-ending foot injury as a rookie. He was active for just three games in his second season.
He stepped into a defensive role last season and started with a bang, making six tackles, one sack, and one pass breakup in the Ravens' opener. He played 73% of the defensive snaps that day, then 95% of the snaps the following week in a win over the Bengals.
However, he also suffered a chest injury in that game, which sidelined him for most of the season. He didn't see action again until the playoffs, when he played almost exclusively on special teams.
"There were parts of it that were tough, but I just kept that confidence within myself, knowing that I was going to come back and be the same exact player that I was when I got those injuries," Washington said. "So, all I needed was the opportunity, and it shows."
Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr said he particularly liked the communication he saw between Washington and Hamilton against the Steelers. They were directing, making quick calls, getting everyone on the same page, he said.
"Then the competitiveness – the effort to the football, the toughness, tackling. 'A.D.'s what – 5-foot-7? 5-foot-8? But he throws his stuff in there," Orr said. "That's what you want, that's what you appreciate. He played like a Raven. I look forward to seeing what he's going to do Monday night."
