Jayden Daniels put together a rookie campaign that no Washington Commanders fan will ever forget. According to All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce, keeping this up is the challenging part.
Daniels woke a sleeping giant to spearhead Washington's renaissance. He was nothing short of sensational to begin the campaign. A rib injury came with an inevitable mini-slump, but the No. 2 overall selection bounced back incredibly well. The Commanders secured 12 wins and the signal-caller's legend only grew in the postseason.
Thanks to exceptional poise, a flavor for the big occasion, and the relentless mindset very few possess, Daniels secured memorable road triumphs over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and No. 1 seed Detroit Lions to reach the NFC Championship game. The Commanders eventually came unstuck at the Philadelphia Eagles, but the dual-threat weapon did everything he could.
Falling at the final hurdle does not detract from the bright future surrounding Daniels. The Commanders are well-positioned to strengthen around him this offseason. Once the supporting cast improves and the player polishes his exceptional skill set further, there's just no telling what Washington will accomplish.
Travis Kelce challenges Commanders QB Jayden Daniels to avoid the sophomore slump
Kelce offered a cautionary tale on his New Heights podcast with brother Jason Kelce. The future Pro Football Hall of Famer threw down the gauntlet to Daniels, challenging the signal-caller to avoid the plague of first-year success that cannot be sustained. He's a big fan and wants to see it, but the reservations were evident.
We'll also see, you know. There have been a lot of quarterbacks that have had one really good year as their first year. We'll see. Jayden [Daniels], that's a challenge to you brother. I want to see it. I know I want to see it. I'm a fan.Travis Kelce
Challenge accepted.
The Commanders knew what talent Daniels had at his disposal during their comprehensive pre-draft assessments. He took college football by storm at LSU in 2023 en route to the Heisman Trophy. He was a high school phenom in California who gained national plaudits for his exceptional efforts at Arizona State before transferring to Baton Rouge.
However, it was Daniels' work ethic, high character, and intense will to win that dsepaarted him from the other candidates.
Complacency will not become an issue for Daniels. Losing in the NFC Championship game and watching the Eagles' celebrations lit a fire under the player that's only going to inspire him to get better. The Commanders must do their part by maximizing his rookie contract, but fans can relax safe in the knowledge they have an exceptional front-office leader in Adam Peters.
Kelce is right. Some quarterbacks start well but tail off dramatically once teams get solid film of their tendencies or standards start slipping. There are countless examples throughout NFL history of the sophomore slump. But Daniels is different.
His skills tend to stand the test of time. Nobody will work harder than Daniels — he made that abundantly clear during his early transition into the Commanders. There is a strong support system in place, although Washington could lose a couple of offensive assistants thanks in no small part to his exceptional season.
Everything is in place for Daniels' rookie campaign to be the start of something more. What comes next is down to the player and the supporting cast Washington places around its franchise cornerstone.
