Commanders' Jayden Daniels reveals why he is so calm in pressure moments

On Saturday, the Washington Commanders punched their ticket to the NFC Championship Game with a resounding road win over the Detroit Lions in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. Quarterback Jayden Daniels was brilliant in this one, continuing his Rookie of the Year campaign by eviscerating an undermanned Lions defense to the tune of 45 points in the victory.

Outside of his arm talent and athleticism, much has been made about the poise that Daniels has displayed in guiding the Commanders on this unexpected run, poise that is unusual for someone playing in their first NFL season.

Recently, Daniels broke down the mindset that allows him to stay so cool under pressure.

“For me, football is fun. It's like a safe haven for me,” said Daniels, via the NFL on X, formerly Twitter. “Everything that I've been through personally in my life, I'm not really going out there and stressing about the moment, because at the end of the day, I get to do what I love each and every week, win, lose, or draw. It's just a blessing to be one of those kids that are able to fulfill their dream and live out their dream of playing on Sundays in the NFL.”

Can the Commanders shock the world?

Up next for the Commanders is a road game against their NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The two teams split the season series at a game apiece this year, with Daniels throwing five touchdown passes in the most recent of those two contests, which was a narrow Commanders win.

Philadelphia has been playing its best football of the year at the right time, with the league's number one defense showing up last Sunday to stave off a potential Los Angeles Rams comeback. However, Daniels has proven time and time again that there is no situation that will affect his ability to make good decisions under pressure, and the Commanders are hoping that his leadership will help guide them to their first Super Bowl appearance since the early 1990s.

The Eagles and Commanders are slated to kick things off at 3:00 PM ET on Sunday from Philadelphia.