Jayden Daniels Fails to Beat Steelers Legend's Record

Jayden Daniels will now sit in the record books next to the Pittsburgh Steelers great.

Jan 26, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) leaps to avoid the tackle of Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith Jr. (3) during the first half of the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers legend and future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger will remain the record books, now tied with Washington Commanders' Jayden Daniels. The two quarterbacks will end the 2024 season with the most wins as a rookie QB in NFL history with 14 each.

Daniels had an opportunity to beat Roethlisberger's record, claiming his 15th win of the season and a trip to the Super Bowl in the same game. But despite throwing for 255 yards and scoring two touchdowns, the Commanders fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 55-23 in the NFC Championship.

Roethlisberger's record was set in 2004 when the first-round pick took over for Tommy Maddox due to injury. He went on to 14-straight games, sitting out Week 17 of the season after the team claimed the top seed in the AFC. They went on to make the AFC Championship game before falling to the New England Patriots, who went on to win the Super Bowl.

Roethlisberger stepped in in Week 2 and carried Pittsburgh to a 14-1 record in the regular season and one playoff win.

Daniels won 12 regular season games, earning a Wild Card spot and taking the Commanders from the second-worst team in the NFL the year before a double-digit win team in 2024. With wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round and the Detroit Lions in the Divisional round, he earned 14 wins, tying Big Ben's record.

Roethlisberger's coach Bill Cowherd actually admitted during the playoffs that Daniels had a more impressive season than Big Ben did as a rookie.

"I think Jayden Daniels has had a lot more put on his plate than Ben did. Ben eased into it as the season went along. We gave him more and more as he became more comfortable with what he was doing," Cowherd said.

Now, both quarterbacks will carry the NFL record into the 2025 season, waiting for the next rookie sensation to try and beat the mark in their first season.

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