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Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt has been one of the season’s breakout stars, but recent ball security issues have grabbed attention. The seventh-round pick addressed his fumbling concerns head-on following back-to-back games with fumbles, showing maturity beyond his draft position.
Nicki Jhabvala, the Commanders reporter for The Athletic, shared Croskey-Merritt’s comments on X, formerly Twitter, when he was asked about his recent fumbles. “I still got a lot of confidence in myself and I just got to be better at my job and that’ll get fixed for sure,” the rookie said after the 25-24 Monday Night Football loss to the Chicago Bears.
The fumbles have come at critical moments. In Week 5 against the Chargers, Bill fumbled late despite rushing for 111 yards and two touchdowns, earning recognition from Tom Brady as his “LFG Player of the Game.” Washington still won 27-10, but the Week 6 fumble proved more costly.
Against the Bears, the rookie lost control of the ball in the first quarter when defensive end Montez Sweat forced a strip at Washington’s 33-yard line. The Bears recovered and capitalized immediately, with quarterback Caleb Williams scoring a touchdown five plays later to give Chicago a 13-0 lead in what became a heartbreaking 25-24 loss.
Late in the fourth quarter, with Washington leading 24-22, Croskey-Merritt was involved in another costly turnover on third-and-1 at the Chicago 40-yard line. Quarterback Jayden Daniels failed to handle the handoff in the rain, and the ball slipped out. Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright recovered at the Chicago 44-yard line with 3:09 remaining.
Daniels took full responsibility afterward, saying, “I just lost the ball. Completely my fault.” Still, Croskey-Merritt acknowledged the mistakes, noting, “Just got to be better in what we do.”
The coaching staff’s response speaks volumes about their trust in Croskey-Merritt. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury didn’t yank him after either fumble. Instead, the rookie played a season-high 43 snaps in Week 6 with 17 carries. After the Week 5 fumble left Washington at its own 1-yard line, the rookie still remained on the field.
His production justifies that confidence. Through six games, he’s rushed for 344 yards on 60 carries with four touchdowns and a 5.73 yards-per-carry average. The rookie’s accountability and elite efficiency numbers suggest these fumbles are fixable mistakes rather than a fundamental flaw. He’ll get his chance to prove that against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7.
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