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NBA legend Kobe Bryant inspired many athletes to embrace their respective careers in sports. Washington Commanders star quarterback Jayden Daniels is no exception.
Daniels is gearing up for Year 3 of his NFL career with the Commanders. He emerged as one of the best young stars in the league, enjoying incredible success in his rookie year. Even though injuries stunted his growth last season, he looks to bounce back in a big way for his third year as a professional athlete.
Daniels takes a lot of inspiration from his role models in sports, with Bryant being his favorite player of all time. He spoke to the media on Thursday afternoon, explaining why he wears Bryant’s shoes and what the Mamba Mentality mantra means to him.
“It’s awesome. Obviously my favorite athlete of all time, and what he meant not only to my life but to Southern California, where I’m from, and obviously I’m a huge fan of the Lakers, so it means a lot, man. Just going out there and seeing the work that he put in, and hopefully one day, I can resemble that in some way. I can’t be Kobe, but I can be Jayden Daniels,” Daniels said, via reporter JP Finlay.
Jayden Daniels looks to enjoy an incredible career in the NFL. Similar to how Kobe Bryant excelled in the NBA, Daniels hopes that he have similar results grace his path.
Following an incredible 2024 season where he won Offensive Rookie of the Year and led the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game, he took a step back in 2025. Injuries limited him to seven games, only completing 114 passes for 1,262 yards and eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He finished with a 2-5 record as he also recorded 58 rushes for 278 yards and two scores.
The Commanders will seek to improve upon their injury-riddled 5-12 record from the previous season. They look to make the playoffs after a one-year absence and end their five-year NFC East title drought.
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