Kansas Football: Ex-Jayhawk and Buccaneers Rookie QB Jalon Daniels Continues to Shine

Former Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels is quickly making a name for himself with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after another strong preseason performance.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Former Kansas football quarterback Jalon Daniels is rapidly becoming a fan favorite with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after putting together another impressive showing in preseason play.

The ex-KU signal caller led the Bucs to a come-from-behind victory (16-15) over the Kansas City Chiefs in their second preseason game on Saturday night in Tampa Bay. Trailing 9-0 at halftime, Daniels completed 9-of-14 passes for 71 yards and one touchdown in the second half. He also ran for 19 yards on seven carries and led the Bucs to three separate scoring drives to win the game.

It’s the second inspiring showing for the Bucs rookie after Daniels went 10-of-15 for 111 yards passing in their first preseason game – a 24-16 win over the New York Jets.

The two performances are putting Daniels firmly in the conversation to be the primary backup to Baker Mayfield this season, and many Bucs fans are saying it’s a done deal after yesterday’s performance.

Jalon Daniels ➡️ Ko Kieft for a @Buccaneers TD!

Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/j45QO5YtAo

— NFL (@NFL) August 23, 2026

Why Daniels is easy to root for

It’s been pretty inspiring to see Daniels play as well as he this early into his career considering he went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft earlier this year.  

Those rookies who are fortunate enough to join an NFL team as an undrafted free agent are the ones who have to really prove their worth during training camp and in preseason games to make the final 53-man roster. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing from Daniels these past few weeks.

He was always an easy player to root for during his time at Kansas because of his infectious personality and positive attitude. He was a great leader and representative of KU football on and off the field for each of his six years in Lawrence.

He gave KU fans some of the best moments in program history these past five years, and for that, he will always have a host of Jayhawk fans behind him as he continues his journey in the NFL.

Daniels will get one more in-game opportunity to show off his skills when the Bucs travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars for their third and final preseason game on Friday, Aug. 28.

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