Following a stellar and historic rookie season, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels may already be one of the premier players at the position across the NFL.
Daniels didn’t just set the single-season rushing record for a rookie quarterback, with 891 yards and six touchdowns, he also completed 69 percent of his passes for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns to nine interceptions, all while powering the Commanders on an insurgent run to the NFC Championship Game.
NFL legend and Washington Ring of Honor inductee, Brian Mitchell, tells me he isn’t surprised by Daniels’ rapid ascent thanks in large part to the former No. 2 pick channeling his Michael Jordan mentality.
“The kid is, what you see is what you get,” Mitchell told Heavy by phone. “He’s not fake. He’s not fake by any stretch. Whenever you don’t think you know it all, I think that’s the best thing for you. Hell, Michael Jordan kept trying to get better, kept trying to learn. If Michael Jordan did it, anyone playing any sport should keep doing it.”
Mitchell’s comparison to Jordan isn’t just hyperbole; it’s a testament to Daniels’ relentless mindset. Like Jordan, Daniels obsesses over improvement, and that refusal to plateau might be what sets him apart from a talented crop of young quarterbacks.
That growth mindset is already showing up in practice, according to Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Kingsbury points out that Daniels, aided by the arrivals of Pro Bowl playmaker Deebo Samuel and All-Pro offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil in his supporting cast, has taken command of the offense with more confidence and speed in Year 2.
“[Y]ou can see the comfort level was there this year,” Kingsbury told reporters last week. “I mean, just watching him move around, he’s not thinking as much, he’s playing fast, and letting his natural gifts kind of take over, and that’s what we want to see.
“So, I expect him to take a big jump.”
Jayden Daniels’ Rise Fueled by Unorthodox Friendship
GettyAn unexpected friendship could help Jayden Daniels elevate his game, and the Washington Commanders to new heights.
The Commanders have set the stage for Daniels not just to avoid a dreaded sophomore slump, but perhaps even make a second-year leap, and not just because of the front office’s additions to his arsenal this offseason.
According to Mitchell, Daniels has become close friends with one of the Commanders’ top defenders, as a tangible way to get better from the pocket, make quicker decisions, and elevate his game to new heights this fall.
“He’s humble,” Mitchell tells Heavy, is what sets Daniels apart from other quarterbacks. “And he doesn’t think he knows everything. He’s willing to talk to people and learn. If you watch him, he’s become great friends with Bobby Wagner.
“When do you ever see quarterbacks become friends with a middle linebacker? Well, you know what, Bobby Wagner tells him things that can help him be a better quarterback, because he lets him know what the defensive guys are trying to do, and what they’re looking for.”
By soaking up wisdom from a defender who’s mastered the art of stopping quarterbacks, Daniels isn’t just accelerating his growth, he’s rewriting the blueprint for what elite development looks like.
Wagner is entering his second season with the Commanders, and is the owner of a Super Bowl ring, won with the Seattle Seahawks. Likewise, with six First-Team All-Pro nods on his resumè, he knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level.
Daniels picking Wagner’s brain, in the same way that he dove into picking up Kingsbury’s system using virtual reality the moment he arrived in Washington last spring is a testament to the 24-year-old’s desire to be great.
Around the league, there’s a belief that Daniels is doing everything he needs to take the next step.
“They just need to repeat what they did last year with him,” a veteran quarterbacks coach tells me of Daniels, on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about a player on another team. “He seems locked in, so I don’t expect a big drop off. If there is one, it’s going to be just a little bump, for sure.”
Most quarterbacks study film. Daniels is studying the mind of one of the NFL’s best defensive players, and that could be the ultimate cheat code in his evolution.
Jayden Daniels, Commanders Chasing ‘Super Bowl Standard’
Chris Graythen | GettyWashington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has sights set on finishing the job in 2025.
Daniels was a driving force behind Washington making a dash to the doorstep of the Super Bowl, falling in the NFC Championship Game to the NFC East rival and eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles.
But, Daniels is determined not only climb the mountain once more, but actually reach the summit this time around.
“I think it’s a standard set,” Daniels said. “You got the core guys that set the standard, and we got those guys back. So we’re bringing in new people and we’re holding them to that standard, but we know everything is not going to be given to us, we got to go out there and earn it each and every day.”
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