Kingsbury: Jayden Daniels Corrects Me When 'I'll F--k Him Up' on Plays I Designed
January 23, 2025
Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has such a strong mental grasp on the game that he'll occasionally correct offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
ESPN's John Keim detailed Daniels' painstaking preparations before games, which includes one extra walkthrough before he makes his way to the stadium. Kingsbury told Keim he has never seen another quarterback do that.
"His football knowledge is beyond what I think any rookie quarterback anybody could ever possibly expect it to be," the coordinator said. "He'll bring up things and I'm like, 'Yeah, I didn't even think about that, but it's a valid point.' He'll make corrections on plays that I've designed, I'll f--k him up and he'll be like, 'No, no coach, you were on this side when we were doing our walkthrough.' 'Really? Yeah. OK. You're right.'"
Daniels has exceeded everyone's expectations in his first season. He threw for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions during the regular season and ranked fourth in QBR (70.5), per ESPN.com. The No. 2 overall pick was also the team's leading rusher with 891 yards.
More than that, Daniels displayed a poise belying his inexperience. The Commanders went 12-5 and made the playoffs, with their starting quarterback engineering four fourth-quarter comebacks.
The 24-year-old has performed even better under the bright lights of the NFL postseason. He has 567 passing yards with four touchdowns and a 116.2 passer rating in Washington's first two games.
One executive from an NFC team called Daniels "scary" when speaking to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
"He's never rattled and elevates everyone around him," the exec said. "I hate to use the word 'generational,' but it really looks like he's that."
There's no question Daniels possessed a ton of raw talent when he arrived in the NFL. His dual-threat abilities helped him with the Heisman Trophy in his final year at LSU.
The way in which the Pro Bowl signal-caller understands the game on a schematic level is what could help to set him apart in the years ahead.
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