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Jayden Daniels will have to extend his incredible rookie season without one of his protectors, but he has that competitive fire to try. Here are three reasons the Washington Commanders quarterback is having the GOAT rookie season in NFL history.
Daniels threw for two touchdowns and fellow rookie Mike Sainristil added two interceptions, helping Washington beat Detroit 45-31 to reach the NFC championship game for the first time since winning the franchise's third Super Bowl 33 years ago.
And Daniels is the biggest reason they’re at this point. But what set him apart from other rookies?
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels leans on his faith
Certainly Daniels isn’t the first-ever Christian quarterback. And many NFL players have expressed their faith as an important part of their careers.
But it’s evident in the way Daniels performs late in football games that his belief overrides critical situations. Daniels doesn’t count on the Lord for wins. He said he doesn’t worry about whether the Commanders will win the game, of if he will put up good numbers, or if he will make big plays. Daniels said he simply plays the game, and lets God take care of the details, according to a post on X by Sunday Night Football on NBC.
“Trust in the Lord God,” Daniels answered. “There’s nothing I should worry about, man, put all my worries on him, and he’ll take care of the rest.”
Playing with that mindset not only helps Daniels avoid the nervousness of late-game situations, it allows him to recover quickly from things that don’t go his way. Daniels threw an interception in the fourth quarter against the Eagles in December. But when the Eagles didn’t salt the game away, Daniels led his team to a last-second victory.
That’s why Daniels’ postgame answers consistently proclaim his beliefs. It’s a key reason for his success.
Jayden Daniels’ arm strength is better than advertised
According to NFL Draft reports, Daniels had a lot of tools that could help him succeed in the league. But arm strength didn’t make the list, according to sportingnews.com.
“Daniels has some drawbacks,” Jacob Camenker wrote. “Notably, while he has an NFL-caliber arm, he doesn't have great arm strength. It may take him some time to improve as a deep-ball passer.”
However, Daniels showed a different story while in college at Arizona State. As a freshman, Daniels scared defenses into backing up, said then-offensive coordinator Rob Likens, according to washingtonpost.com. Likens said the fear gave his team an opportunity.
“To call a run play, I would just call four verticals and hope the defense would back up and let him take off running,” Likens said. “I could trust him, though. That was the big thing. Because he knew why we were doing it. I knew he would make a good throw if they didn’t back up. I knew he wouldn’t throw an interception. So, I could just keep calling the play, and eventually he’s going to take off running.”
Daniels certainly doesn’t rely on the deep ball. But he said it’s part of the weaponry.
“I mean, I just go out there and play ball,” Daniels said in November. “I don’t know how many deep-ball passes I complete. At-the-line-of-scrimmage passes, intermediate — I just go out there and take what the defense gives me.”
Jayden Daniels teammates and coaches respect him like a veteran
The results speak for themselves. Head coach Dan Quinn said Daniels is a different player, according to nytimes.com.
“He just has a different poise about him than most and he’s a rare competitor,” Quinn said. “But in those moments — if he was a basketball player, he’d want the last shot. As a ballplayer, he wants the ball in his hands to make the difference. And he makes great decisions with the football. That takes real mindfulness.”
Quinn added, “Sometimes the best play may be, ‘Hey, I have to throw this away.’ He uses his legs, but he is a rare competitor for us. But his poise in these tight moments really stands out to us.”
Running back Brian Robinson said it took no time for him to realize what Daniels could bring to the team, according to espn.com.
“I knew Jay was ready, day one,” Robinson said. “I knew he was ready not only for everything, all the great stuff he's done this year, but to have himself prepared for the playoffs and the big-time moments.
“I’m so excited not only for myself but my team, especially the guys that have been here for the last couple of years that's been on not-so-good teams just to experience this. It's amazing.”
Running back Austin Ekeler mentioned Daniels’ poise.
“He's so poised and so clutch,” Ekeler said. “Every week, I'm like, man, this guy is really good. I know to expect it, but again and again he continues to show that, hey, he has a huge clutch gene, and it shows up all the time.”
