Current Packers and Ex-Washington LB Preston Smith Unnecessarily Jabs at FedExField Crowd

Playing in front of no fans due to the coronavirus pandemic will feel unusual for many NFL players this fall. But for Green Bay Packers pass rusher Preston Smith, it's not a new feeling at all.

"My first four years in the league, there weren't that many fans in the stands anyway," Smith said to local Green Bay media on Friday. "Might be kind of normal again."

https://twitter.com/hashtag/Packers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Packers LB Preston Smith talking about playing games with no fans: "My first four years in the league, there weren't that many fans in the stadium anyway. So it might be kind of normal now again."

Smith spent his first four years in Washington.pic.twitter.com/ITUQ6ZpP50

— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) <a href="https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1291809206975238144

Smith, of course, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Washington Football Team. And over that span, Washington made the playoffs just once with zero victories in the month of January.

So, it makes plenty of sense why Washington fans wouldn't want to waste their money to watch a game at FedEx Field, anyway. 

While FedExField is one of the largest stadiums in the NFL, the Landover, Md. complex is usually filled with just as many rowdy Eagles and Cowboys fans when those NFC East foes visit as it is supporters of the Burgundy and Gold. If someone wanted to rename the stadium Lincoln Financial Field South, I'm sure there would be many residents in the Philadelphia area in favor. Enough of them show up every year. 

But we're also talking about Washington here, not to Los Angeles Chargers. Despite loss after loss after loss, many Washington fans braved bad weather and traded the comfort of watching their favorite team on TV for the mediocre fan experience of FedEx Field during Smith's time in D.C.

And it's not like Smith gave local football fans many reasons to come watch them play, either.

Smith had an up-and-down tenure in Washington. The pass rusher showed tremendous promise as a rookie, registering eight sacks as Washington made the playoffs. He even produced a safety in a playoff game against the Packers. But over the next three years, Smith's play was inconsistent, and Washington let him walk in free agency last offseason.

In typical Washington fashion, Smith broke out with his new team, the Packers, finishing with a career-high 12 sacks a season ago alongside fellow pass rusher Za'Darius Smith.

In Green Bay, Smith plays in front of some of the best fans in the entire league. So, when the pass rusher takes the field at Lambeau Field this fall without anyone in attendance, it's natural for him to feel a little weird about it.

However, it's also easy to show up when your team is good every single year. Smith should probably have a little more sympathy for Washington Football Team fans and be thankful for the ones who did show up. 

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Current Packers and ex-Washington LB Preston Smith unnecessarily jabs at FedExField crowd originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

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