With a a few weeks left until training camp, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery has briefly set his mind to another sport. Carbery stopped by Washington Commanders practice on Thursday ahead of the team’s final NFL preseason game against the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Carbery chatted with coaches at OrthoVirginia Training Center at Commanders Park while holding a Commanders play sheet. Washington is set to open their regular season on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 8.
This is awesome! @Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery is watching today's Commanders practice.
Hockey season is right around the corner! pic.twitter.com/UOAopIKI9e
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) August 22, 2024
Despite growing up in Canada, the Washington Capitals head coach is a huge football fan, rooting for the San Francisco 49ers due to watching the superstar connection of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice during the late 80s and early 90s. Carbery has said previously that he draws inspiration from NFL coaches and how they create advantages for their teams.
“I follow it closely and am fascinated with the inner workings of how they operate,” Carbery told the Washington Post’s Bailey Johnson last January. “Their day-to-day, their meetings, their training camps, their preparation each week. I’ve been watching – [Miami Dolphins Coach] Mike McDaniel is a disciple of Kyle Shanahan and worked in San Fran, and they’ve been on ‘Hard Knocks.’ I’m almost caught up with that. I love watching that stuff.”
Carbery spent a portion of his time with star Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin. McLaurin is one of the league’s most dynamic offensive weapons and is coming into his sixth NFL season looking to record his fifth straight 1,000-receiving-yard campaign.
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery here chatting with Terry McLaurin. @DCNewsNow #DCNNGameNight pic.twitter.com/qDM6X0b2L7
— Alex Flum (@AlexFlumTV) August 22, 2024
The Commanders are looking to bounce back from a 4-13 finish under Ron Rivera last season, with new head coach Dan Quinn leading the charge. Washington recently named Jayden Daniels, second overall draft selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, as their starting quarterback.
While Daniels leads the Commanders out onto the field in early September, Carbery will be preparing to kick off his NHL training camp around a week or so later. The 42-year-old bench boss is entering his second season in charge of the Capitals after leading the team to the playoffs last year.
