Commanders’ surprising strategy that fueled Jayden Daniels

The Washington Commanders gave Jayden Daniels the freedom to be himself — and it made all the difference in his rookie year.

Jan 26, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs with the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

For Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, it wasn’t just his dual-threat ability that led to a successful rookie season — it was the simple joy of playing football.

“The whole energy thing and positive energy — that plays a part,” Daniels told Yahoo Sports. “Obviously the magnitude of stuff is different now, but at the end of the day, you still gotta be able to tap into that inner kid.”

And Daniels did just that. He thrived in a system built on fun and flexibility, thanks in large part to Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

Jan 26, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs with the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Kingsbury designed a playbook tailored to Daniels’ strengths and prioritized his comfort.

“He wanted me to be as comfortable as possible,” Daniels said. “We had conversations like, ‘I didn’t like this’ or ‘I don’t like that.’ He might have argued a little bit, but ultimately he wouldn’t call a play that I wasn’t comfortable with.”

Daniels recalled one week where he pushed back on a play Kingsbury liked. They agreed to try it once. After it didn’t work, Kingsbury scrapped it.

“I gave him one shot, didn’t like it, [so] he just took it out,” Daniels said. “You need people around you that’s gonna remove the egos at the door. Do whatever it takes to win.”

For Daniels, winning doesn’t mean losing the joy of the game.

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