One of the biggest questions heading into the 2025 NFL season surrounds Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. Is the soon-to-be sophomore passer for real?
Obviously, Daniels’ strong rookie season is an indication that he’s got the tools and the confidence to make an impact on the field for Washington. But sophomore slumps exist. And year-two regressions are more common than players, coaches, and executives want to admit.
Many factors play into that. Sometimes, it’s due to rising stars beginning to press and attempting to do too much to live up to the hype. In the eyes of the former NFL MVP Joe Theismann, Daniels doesn’t possess the kind of gene that would force that mentality.
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“Jayden is making a world of difference. He doesn’t want to be good — he wants to be great. But it’s not that ‘all-about-me’ kind of syndrome. He’s all about the football team. He’s all about him getting better as well as the team getting better, and I think he’s extremely well respected by his teammates,” the former quarterback told Pro Football Network.
As the NFL found out, Daniels can truly do it all. He was a successful quarterback and running back during his rookie effort. After the Commanders selected him second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, he immediately started and played all 17 games.
With 480 passes, Daniels completed nearly 70 percent of his attempts. He threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns. When it came to turnovers, Daniels tossed just nine interceptions during the regular season. While he fumbled the ball five times, he didn’t lose possession at all.
There was a lopsided scoring-turnover ratio, which went heavily in Daniels’ favor, putting his efficiency as a passer on full display. However, his wheels couldn’t be forgotten.
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Daniels took off for 148 rushes throughout the year. While averaging six yards per carry, he totaled 891 yards and scored six touchdowns. By the end of the Commanders’ 12-5 regular season, he finished with a total of 4,459 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Then came the playoffs. It’s not every season when a rookie enters the postseason and puts together a veteran-like performance. Even some veterans tend to struggle at the second phase of the football season, but Daniels was just as impressive.
In three games, Daniels led the NFL in completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns in the playoffs. He completed 75 of his 114 passes for 822 yards and five touchdowns. He turned the ball over with an interception just once.
The Commanders couldn’t make their return to the Super Bowl for the first time since the early 90s, but they found out that Daniels is likely the guy who will get them there sometime soon. Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles were simply the better team in the NFC Championship.
Theismann, a one-time Super Bowl champion with the Washington organization, seems bought in on the 24-year-old star out of LSU. The NFL will be prepared for him this time around. Soon, we’ll see if that makes a difference.
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