Kansas Football Fans Erupt After Jalon Daniels' First NFL Win

Kansas football fans haven’t had a lot to be excited about thus far this season. The Jayhawks have suffered tough losses to rival Missouri and to Arizona State in London and now sit at 2-2 with long odds of reaching a bowl game.

But if there’s one thing that does have KU football fans excited, it’s the inspiring story of former quarterback Jalon Daniels.

After failing to be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft following six years in Lawrence, Daniels was picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent this summer. He then (incredibly) worked his way up to becoming the backup to starter Baker Mayfield thanks to a series of impressive performances during the preseason.

When Mayfield went down with an injury a couple of weeks ago, Daniels answered the call and made history in the process by becoming the first undrafted rookie quarterback to start a game in Bucs history. He also became the first undrafted rookie quarterback since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to start a game this early in the season.

While Daniels had an okay showing in his first game as a starter, he made the most of his next opportunity by leading the Bucs to a major upset win on the road over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night by a final score of 24-16 inside AT&T Stadium.

Daniels finished the game 19-of-25 passing for 189 yards and one touchdown. He also had seven carries for 23 yards.

After the game, KU fans took to social media to share their excitement for Daniels’ first win at the NFL level.

So happy for @JalonDaniels6, man. 🥹🥹🥹

So proud of the dude. Jayhawk for life. One of us.

Rock Chalk. ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/Pd2SWTTJmz
— Andrew Curtis (@AndrewCurtis24) October 9, 2026

Oh man! I’m so proud of Jalon Daniels. Keep going buddy! ROCK CHALK! 👏🏽🤙🏽 https://t.co/lFpWzOJP5K
— Christopher Hollins (@chollins31) October 9, 2026

Shoutout to @JalonDaniels6 for getting his first NFL career win.

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!
— Mark Gunnels (@MarkAGunnels) October 9, 2026

Jalon Daniels gets his first career NFL win and his coach did everything he could at the end to make it difficult. Happy for JD! #RockChalk
— Alex Gold (@AlexGold) October 9, 2026

Way to go Jalon! Rock Chalk! ❤️💙 https://t.co/b1D9vK3Gyi
— Mandy Meyer (@MandyMeyer) October 9, 2026

That kind of love and support comes from all the love and loyalty that Daniels showed over the years wearing the crimson and blue. He’s always been a great representative of KU football, on and off the field – and never hidden his pride of being a Jayhawk.

Now, it’s KU fans who are the ones showing pride for a player (and a person) who has always been so easy to root for. Expect that support to continue from the Jayhawk faithful for every step of Daniels’ journey in the NFL.

Check out the KCSN official website and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram for the latest KU basketball and football news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google