Ron Rivera tried Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke at quarterback last season for the Washington Commanders, and neither could help the team rise above a .500 record. However, in Week 17, the coach gave rookie fifth-round pick Sam Howell a try, and he performed well. And now, after impressing even more during the Commanders’ preseason, Rivera admits he made a mistake by not turning to the young signal-caller sooner last year.

“You can ask [Rivera’s wife] Stephanie, all we f***ing talked about was the quarterback, what the quarterback did, who he was,” Rivera told Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated about Howell’s Week 17 start. “I kept saying, ‘F***, if I would have known this, I would have played him sooner.’ When you only have so much time to show it, it’s hard, I kept thinking, God … but after that game, everything told me this kid, give him the opportunity and see what he does with it.”

The Commanders were 2-5 last season with Wentz under center and 5-3-1 with Heinicke. Both of them made soul-crushing mistakes, though, in big spots that led to Rivera’s squad missing the playoffs.

This season, there is no question after the Commanders' preseason that Sam Howell is the guy. While backup Jacoby Brissett has started NFL games, he’s not a true starting QB, and Howell looked like one for most of the run-up to the 2023 campaign.

In two preseason appearances under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Sam Howell went 28-of-37 for 265 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 122.02 quarterback rating.

Those are certainly starting QB numbers, and now Commanders fans have something to be excited about (other than Daniel Snyder finally selling the team) heading into the new season.

And as for Ron Rivera and his QB regret, he will just have to move on from that and hopefully just be happy he may have found a Commanders quarterback who will play under him for a long time.