Commanders coach reveals his one unbreakable rule for all players

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was the starting quarterback from the moment he was drafted, according to the outside world.

As the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft, there was no way Commanders coach Dan Quinn wasn’t going to start him, right? Well, that’s exactly what Quinn was ready to do, because he wasn’t going to give Daniels or anyone else anything they hadn’t earned.

What unfolded next was a position battle between Washington veteran Marcus Mariota and the then-rookie who appeared to be the best man for the job weeks before Quinn finally gave in and named Daniels his starter.

That process is one Quinn holds firm to entering his second season as the head coach of the Commanders, and one that Daniels appreciated from the start last year.

Washington Commanders quarterbacks Marcus Mariota (L) and Jayden Daniels (R). | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Earn Everything, Every Day

It’s all part of the new standard set here in Washington, where the team’s starters are there for a reason, and it isn’t because of their draft position or salary.

Going back to last year, even veteran Zach Ertz had to earn his high usage rate. Quinn admitted during the year he expected Ertz to be more of a specialist in the red zone and on third downs, but once the tight end got into camp, it became clear he wasn’t going to be taken off the field because of talent alone.

Ertz came in with relatively low expectations, competed, and proved to his coaches and teammates that he needed a bigger role on the team. So he got it. And it really is that simple when you break it all down.

“We just want to make competition as the central theme," Quinn said Friday morning. "(We did that) at quarterback last year with Jayden and Marcus and at tackle with [T] Brandon [Coleman] and Luke [current Cleveland Browns T Cornelius Lucas], and we're doing it again right now with [Ts] Andrew [Wylie] and Josh [Conerly Jr.]. It's part of who we are.”

The 'Why' Behind the Battle

Not only does it ensure your best 11 men are on the field for the given situation, but that players have a sense of confidence and achievement simply being on the field.

“I never wanted a player to ever feel anything other than that,” Quinn explained. “If you get this gig, you earned it, and you had to fight for it. And that's the world of a competitor.”

Washington Commanders offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. (72). | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

This Year's Test Case

So, while many also have the same expectations to start sooner-rather-than-later for this year’s first round pick, offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr., he too will have to prove he is indeed the best man for the job.

Asked if he planned on rotating Conerly with Wylie like he did last year with Coleman and Lucas, Quinn gave a general view of the plan, one that isn’t set with a clear outline of who gets what reps, because those aren’t already awarded. Rather, they’re still to be earned.

"It's designed some by day, some by period, and it takes a while to get there," Quinn said. "You have to go through some more evaluations, but it's important.”

A Process of Evaluation

Meanwhile, some are getting anxious already; they aren’t seeing Conerly getting more reps with Daniels and the first-team offense, but that’s what competition does. It adds weight to things, and it showcases who truly has the heart of a competitor and who wants the outcome more than the journey to get it.

If Conerly has the same fight Daniels and so many others did in 2024, he’ll get his crack at the starting lineup soon enough. Clearly, however, as long as Quinn is running things, he isn’t getting there until he shows he’s ready.

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