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The members of the Washington Commanders fell just short in their opening game Sunday in Philadelphia. But safety Nick Cross '19 played well in the contest and was the leading tackler for Washington (with 8).
Nick is now in his 5th NFL season having spent the last several years with the team that drafted him, the Indianapolis Colts. He signed a two-year deal with Washington in March. In an interview last summer*, Nick said he was happy to come home. "It's a surreal moment. Something that I never really thought about or thought would really take place," he said. "When it was able to come to fruition, it was a good feeling. I'm happy to be back home."
Nick attended St. Jerome's in Hyattsville and is very close with Joe Sego '94, the longtime coach and athletic director there. He is also close with longtime DeMatha defensive coordinator Deno Campbell '81.
In 2019, DeMatha profiled Nick in the Red & Blue Magazine. Yes, Nick was a standout football player (who would take his talents to the University of Maryland) but he was so much more than that. At DeMatha, he carried a 3.6 GPA, was a member of the Wind Ensemble (tenor sax), and ran track.
From that interview: "My parents were big on me being a well-rounded person," he said. "To be good at academics and then be good at sports and then music and community service, you can fully contribute to whatever institution you end up going to."
Even though Nick left Maryland after three years for the NFL Draft, he saw to it that he returned to complete his undergraduate finance degree at the school's Robert H. Smith School of Business.
As for community service, Nick partnered this summer with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington to distribute backpacks and school supplies, and intends to continue leveraging his platform and this opportunity to make a positive impact in the community.*
"At the end of the day, it's not about things you acquire. It's about the legacy you leave," he said. "I want to leave a lasting legacy for one as a man of God, but also as someone who helped the community and made the most of my opportunities." *
In his DeMatha interview, Nick credited the school with having him think about being a positive role model, expanding one's horizons, and having a winning attitude. "Having all that, helps prepare you for adversity because it'll hit you sometime, but you just have to fight through and keep moving."
Clearly, Nick is a Faith-Filled Gentleman and Scholar. We wish him well this season, including this Sunday when Washington plays the Cowboys in Dallas.
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*These passages came from an article this summer in a story produced by the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.
The DeMatha story was written by then staff member Connor Glowacki.
We reached out to Nick and did not hear back. We understand how busy he is at present. Nick has close DeMatha ties and no doubt we will see him back on campus soon. (Nick's brother, Nijel '25, plays football at Howard University).
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