Redskins safety Reed Doughty had been on the field for all of three non-special teams snaps last season when word arrived he would start the critical Nov. 18 game at Dallas.
Star free safety Sean Taylor was out with a sprained knee ligament and Doughty took over, recording six tackles. But he also committed a pass interference penalty and was part of a secondary torched for four touchdowns by Dallas wide receiver Terrell Owens.
It was a shaky performance and some around Redskins Park wondered if Doughty would stick.
Doughty had overcome far bigger obstacles, including a lifelong hearing impairment that has gradually worsened in recent years and the chronic kidney problems of his one-year-old son, Micah. So the 2006 sixth-round draft pick from Northern Colorado, a Division I-AA program, wasn’t fazed by the challenge.
“That first game was the ultimate learning experience,” said Doughty, 25, who entered training camp in a unique role — as the starting strong safety. “I would have liked for it to have turned out a little better. But sometimes it takes a rough spell to really grow.”
It was supposed to be a short stint — just until Taylor returned from injury. He never did, of course. Taylor was murdered at his Florida home in late November. And so, under tragic circumstances, Doughty found himself in the lineup for good.
He held his own. The 6-foot-1, 209-pounder had nine tackles against Chicago. He added a career-high 11 in a win over the New York Giants. And he broke up a potential touchdown pass in the regular-season finale vs. Dallas.
“Most guys kind of shy back when they get beat or get a [penalty],” said Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray. “Reed didn’t panic. He just kept playing and eventually got comfortable with his job and made us better. Now, the challenge is he’s got to see himself as a starter and not just a special teams guy.”
There is still competition. The Redskins signed free-agent free safety Stuart Schweigert and could move LaRon Landry back to strong safety. But for now the job is Doughty’s.
“New year, new expectations. But you’ve got to deliver,” Doughty said. “I’ve been given an opportunity to begin camp in position to play a lot and I’ve got to keep showing that I deserve the spot.”
