Washington Redskins defensive end Chris Baker, or “Swaggy,” as he is affectionately known, is a success story that the Redskins don’t have frequently. He was undrafted and bounced around to a few teams. He walked in the door in 2011 as an unknown and now might just be the Redskins’ best and most consistent defensive lineman.
Q: What was the motivating factor to grow up right and make it?
A: “What drove us was the ability to be where we were from and to earn a Division I scholarship, that was like our big goal. We had a lot of guys who came before us who were probably better than us in football but they didn’t do what they had to do in the classroom and they never made it into college and they were way better athletes than me and Terrance [Knighton, the Redskins’ nose tackle] were in high school. … That was kind of a motivating factor to be the guys that made it out of high school and made it to a Division I school. We worked hard all throughout high school and when it came time for us to get our scholarship, everything worked out for us.”
Q: Is it amazing how it worked out?
A: “You know, it’s something that I’ve always prayed for and I always worked for. I feel like any time you pray for something, God’s not going to give it to you right then and there, but he brings us through a process. I felt like the first couple of years, God was showing me a process of what I needed to do to be successful. It was hard getting cut and not being able to get on the field. The whole time, I was learning and I was saving my body. Here I am in year seven, I feel really great. I’m playing some of the best ball I’ve ever played. I feel like I’m ready, I’m prepared and I went through the ups and downs. I know how it feels to not have a job. Now that I have my job, it’s way more important for me to keep it. I was always that guy looking from behind trying to take someone else’s job so I don’t want nobody to take my job. That’s why I work the way that I work.”
Q: Why was the launch of the Chris Baker Foundation so important to you?
A: “I don’t know the exact statistic but it says that if a child is behind in literacy after the third grade, the likelihood of them graduating high school is very small and the likelihood of them going to jail and not graduating high school is very high.
So, I figured I would target the third grade to the fifth grade, to really attack that age group to show them that reading and learning math and going to school is cool. … It’s a good thing to be smart. I know people in my neighborhood, people would make fun of you for being smart. I feel like it’s up to us as athletes, people look up to you, to encourage them to do the right thing because that if we say something, they’re going to hang on to what we say. I try to preach to them the importance of education let these kids learn from my mistakes and how I messed up in school. As long as you keep working and do what you are supposed to do, everything will work out.”
Q: What would you change over last decade?
A: “I don’t think I would change anything. The only thing I could change is getting drafted, but I feel not even getting drafted, it helped me out in the sense that I had to work harder than anybody, every year. It gave me that extra push. If I was a first- or second-round pick, I could have gone through the motions. I was always in a position where I had to out-work people, so I think that helped me out.
“A lot of people think that when I got kicked out of Penn State, it was one of the worst things in my life and I didn’t understand what was happening. Years after me getting kicked out, I look back and that was probably one of the best things that happened that changed my life and my line of thinking. My whole life I always ran to trouble. I was always wanting to see what was going on. My parents, my father would always tell me, ’When you see trouble, go the other way,’ and I never listened to it. When I was in college, it caught up to me. I’m glad it happened in college. I learned my lesson.”
Q: How important to be who you are on the field and to have fun? Especially with the controversy over Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton’s actions?
A: “You’ve got to enjoy this. You’ve got to have fun. If you don’t want to see him dance, keep him out of the end zone. If he gets in the end zone, he’s got all the right to dance. That’s like him getting mad at me after I sacked him. If you make a play, get up and celebrate. It’s just a part of the league. It’s really fun to be able to get that sack, get up and hear the crowd go crazy. I don’t have a problem with it. I actually enjoy it.”
Q: Your friendship with Knighton — what has been the best part since joining forces?
A: “It’s actually living out a childhood dream. When we were in high school, we took a picture holding up the ’L’ saying that one day, we’ll make it to the league. We actually both made to the league and the fact that we’re actually on the same team in our prime is a dream come true, it’s a blessing. It’s really fun to have him here. I can learn a lot from him. He’s really attentive when it comes to film watching. He’s been around the best in league to learn how to really be a professional. My film study this year has gone up a level and it’s showing on the field.”
Q: Knighton seems like a really intense leader and very team-oriented. Is that what you have taken?
A: “Without a question. Any time you come from a team that has success like they have in Denver, you learn how to practice the right way, you learn how to watch film the right way and you teach the younger kids the right way. Terrance does a great job with that. He’s a great locker room guy. We have nothing but compliments for this guy. He’s a great player, and he’s just doing everything he’s supposed to do.”
Q: How have things changed inside the building?
A: “It’s changed up a little bit. Winning cures a lot. We’re not ’as bad’ as we were a few years ago and really getting help to become a good team now. I think we’re really a dangerous team. The attitude around here, you’ve got a lot of new people here and a lot of new coaches. The people that came in here came from winning teams. They knew how to practice and it helps everybody. The way we practice, the way we play. I haven’t been in a practice, this competitive, in one-on-ones in the middle of the season. We had a really competitive last week and hopefully, that keeps translating to when we play in the game.”
Q: Can this team win the division and contend for the big prize this year?
A: “Without a question. You saw how our team can respond to other good teams. We held [New Orleans Saints] quarterback Drew Brees and the No. 1 offense, we pretty much shut them down. When our offense is clicking, we running the ball and our defense is doing what we are supposed to do. We are a dangerous team. As long as we are doing what we are supposed to do, on offense and on defense, we’ll be a really tough team to beat.”
Q: Why is it important for you to have a good relationship with media?
A: “I think that’s always been my personality. I’ve always been a person that likes attention. I’ve always been a person who likes the camera. If you guys don’t have anything bad to say about me, we’re on the same page, we’re good to go, but I’ve never had a problem with talking to the media. I actually love it.”
Q: You’ll become a Dad in early January. How awesome is that?
A: “I was very excited. Any time you are blessed with the opportunity to make a baby, you are really excited. I wanted to have a boy at first but when I found out I was having a girl, I was still excited. I just want a healthy baby girl. You just have to pray that everything works out with the delivery and for a healthy baby girl to come into this world. It’s someone I’m going to have to look after for the rest of my life and take care of. It’s a challenge I’m ready to be a part of and I’m excited to have kids.”
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