Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Continues to Reach Rare Heights as a Rookie

In the Washington Commanders' win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday, quarterback Jayden Daniels hit a pair of marks we haven't seen in nearly 10 years.

Jan 18, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) warms up prior to the game against Detroit Lions in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

ASHBURN, Va. -- You may have heard, but Washignton Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has been pretty impressive.

In his first NFL season, not only has Daniels recorded stats the league has never seen, he's breathed new life into a Commanders franchise once thought beyond repair and frankly not worth saving.

Playing and winning the second playoff game of his young career, a mark that not many rookies before him have hit, the Washington standout won in a way not many have.

Jan 18, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) warms up prior to the game against Detroit Lions in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

"Jayden Daniels excelled in the most difficult passing situations against the Lions. Against the blitz he went 12/16 for 191 yards and a TD (+7.0% CPOE). On passes where he held the ball for over 2.5 seconds, he went 10/16 for 172 yards and a TD (+6.3% CPOE). When under pressure, he went 7/9 for 109 yards (+17.6% CPOE). He wasn’t sacked once," says Zebra Sports, who helps measure Next Gen Stats for the NFL. "Jayden Daniels' 191 passing yards against the Lions' blitz are the 2nd most in a game by a rookie since 2016 (in the regular season or postseason). Daniels recorded a 114.7 passer rating against the blitz during the regular season, the highest mark by a rookie since 2016."

As milestones go, this one is actually one of the smaller ones Daniels has hit. But it serves as a solid reminder for defensive coordinators who may think that pressuring the young quarterback with blitzes is the best way to go that doing so may be at your own peril.

In the NFC Championship Game this weekend Daniels and the Commanders will visit the Philadelphia Eagles who blitzed among the least they have all season in a Week 11 win while blitzing among the most they have in a single game in their Week 16 loss.

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