Total Pro Sports
Jayden Daniels is technically still a rookie until he plays his second year, but he most certainly acts like a veteran player.
With a full offseason behind him and rising expectations, Jayden enters his second NFL season with a strong command of the huddle and a renewed focus on elevating his team to the next level.
When the Commanders selected Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they had no clue that the franchise would turn around in just one short year. They did not anticipate how quickly Daniels would evolve into a leader who sets the tone with his voice.
Players and coaches have already noticed a major change in the leadership of Daniels, who is usually a quiet player. That was proven this week.
Veteran running back Austin Ekeler said that Jayden Daniels kicked one teammate out of the huddle in practice on Thursday after he committed a false start penalty.
“He said, ‘Get out, we can’t be doing that,'” Ekeler said.
Leader: Commanders' star QB Jayden Daniels kicked a teammate out of the huddle at practice after he committed a false start penalty.
“He said, ‘Get out, we can’t be doing that."
Jayden's intensity this offseason is insane 😈 pic.twitter.com/2yHtEZoSpZ
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 1, 2025
“That’s leadership we wouldn’t have seen last year. He’s holding the standard, letting everyone know this is how we play. If you’re not playing at this level, you can’t be on the field. That’s awesome to see in a quarterback.” – John Keim, ESPN.
We are not accustomed to seeing this side of Daniels yet, but he knows that it is part of the job of being the franchise quarterback in Washington.
In one season, he has already set the standard for what is to be expected.
Jayden Daniels led his team to the NFC Championship game in January 2025. The Commanders upset the Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round to reach the NFC Championship, where they ultimately lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Despite what anybody could say, that was an extremely successful season from a rookie quarterback with zero expectations.
Daniels led the club to its best record since and first NFC title game in over three decades and its first playoff win in general since 2005.
If the team can agree to sign Terry McLaurin, then Daniels could possibly take this team all the way to the Super Bowl.
