The Washington Commanders have officially confirmed what had been anticipated since the NFL draft: Jayden Daniels will be their starting quarterback.
Head coach Dan Quinn made the announcement on Monday, although Daniels, selected second overall in the draft, had already been working with the first team for the past few weeks during training camp. The decision to wait for the official confirmation allowed Daniels to prove he was deserving of the role.
Quinn shared that he informed Daniels of the news during a meeting in the quarterbacks’ room, where he emphasized the importance of competition and acknowledged Daniels for excelling in the job. “You absolutely crushed it and earned it,” Quinn said.
While the news was expected, Daniels expressed his gratitude and acknowledged that he hadn’t taken anything for granted. “They didn’t want to just give me the job right away,” Daniels said. “I have to prove it not only to myself, but to the coaches and my teammates.”
This marks the seventh consecutive year Washington will have a new starting quarterback for the season opener.
In the early days of camp, Marcus Mariota was typically the first quarterback on the field, but Daniels had been working with the starters in both full-team drills and 7-on-7s. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner started in both of the first two preseason games, with Mariota sidelined by a hamstring injury. Daniels completed 12-of-15 passes for 123 yards in those games, also scoring a touchdown on a three-yard run against the New York Jets.
Daniels’ performance, including a 42-yard completion to Dyami Brown against the Jets, demonstrated his ability to make quick, smart decisions under pressure. His average time before releasing the ball against the Miami Dolphins was 2.02 seconds, according to Next Gen Stats.
Quinn highlighted Daniels’ progress, especially his improvement in areas such as command, accuracy, and communication. Daniels has earned praise from teammates and coaches for his ball placement, work ethic, poise, and leadership qualities, which have been key to his success.
The Commanders were impressed with Daniels early in the draft process, keeping their interest in him under wraps. Since joining the team, Daniels has shown his ability to self-correct, an important trait that Quinn believes will help him develop quickly.
“I’m just blessed that DQ and AP trust me to lead the team,” Daniels said. “It’s something I’ve dreamed about as a kid.”
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