Jayden Daniels’ rookie season captured the imagination of Washington Commanders fans but also former Commanders greats as well.
Joe Theismann, the longtime Washington quarterback who guided the team to two Super Bowls, including the championship in Super Bowl XVII, shared his appreciation for Daniels recently.
After years of misery in the nation’s capital, the Commanders went 11-6 and advanced to the NFC Championship Game with Daniels at the helm. The No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft completed 69 percent of his passes and threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns while only throwing nine interceptions.
Yet, according to Theismann, the exceptional numbers only tell part of the story.
What Does Joe Theismann Think Of Jayden Daniels?
Theismann is Washington’s most prolific passer, since he holds the franchise lead for yards (25,206) and boasted a 77-47 record in his 167 games.
But Theismann has high hopes for Daniels supplanting him sometime soon.
“I love to watch him work. I love that heâs got a tremendous work ethic,” Theismann told Pro Football Network. “He doesnât want to be good â he wants to be great. But itâs not that âall-about-meâ kind of syndrome. Heâs all about the football team.
Theismann spent 12 seasons in the NFL exclusively with the Washington organization and has been a TV analyst covering the NFL for decades. He’s seen great quarterbacks with great work ethics done in by phony behavior or huge egos that rub teammates the wrong way.
Yet, according to Theismann, Daniels possesses a unique skill set and an attitude that earns him respect inside the Commanders facility.
“Heâs all about him getting better as well as the team getting better, and I think heâs extremely well respected by his teammates,” Theismann said. “I think heâs liked. Thereâs a difference between being liked and respected. Heâs both.
“Because he puts the time in, guys notice that. You canât hide from a teammate. You may be able to BS everybody, but you canât hide from a teammate. They know whatâs going on.â
What Did Joe Theismann Say About Washington’s New Ownership?
Aside from Daniels, the Washington resurgence in 2024 was catapulted by new coach Dan Quinn and Josh Harris’ purchase of the team.
Harris, who grew up a Washington fan, has returned to the team’s roots and in turn risen them back to respectability. The Commanders are expected to play at the RFK Stadium site — where Theismann played all of his home games — starting in 2030 and announced their new alternate uniforms similar to what Washington wore in its heyday.
“Theyâve just taken their time to put the organization together the way they want it, the way they envisioned it to have success,” Theismann said. “Now, with the approval for an opportunity for a new stadium downtown, itâs sort of running full cycle to go back on the old RFK site. Itâs really exciting what this football team is going to be able to do.”
Daniels and Quinn infused the facility with enthusiasm, and that has allowed GM Adam Peters to bring in high-end talent — like the trade for Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers in the off-season.
“Otâs been a very, very well-laid-out and executed plan to get this team where it is,” Theismann said. “Of course, Jayden is making a world of difference, and Dan is one of those coaches … itâs not that they let the guys run amok, but thereâs a discipline and a respect for the coaches and the players and one another, and I think that carries through the organization.â
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