Jayden Daniels admits ex-Eagles great is secret reason for wearing No. 5

The Washington Commanders QB sensation only needs to take down the Philadelphia Eagles to get to the Super Bowl. Two ex-Philly greats are his inspiration.

Jayden Daniels | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Rookie sensation Jayden Daniels has already achieved cult-like status for Washington Commanders fans.

Heck, make that NFL fans.

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Jan. 18, 2025: Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels shakes hands and high-fives fans after defeating the Detroit Lions 45-31. | Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After leading the Commanders to a stunning 45-31 upset over the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions, only one team stands in the way of Daniels, 24, to fulfill a fairytale first-year campaign to reach the Super Bowl in New Orleans: the hated NFC East rivals Philadelphia Eagles.

In the NFC Championship Game matchup, most pundits, and even Eagles fans, would say that the Commanders have a decisive advantage in the quarterback position vs. Jalen Hurts, especially after Hurts suffered a knee injury in the Los Angeles Rams snowy survival, 28-22..

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Ironically, Commanders fans can thank two former Eagles greats for providing the blueprint - Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick.

In fact, McNabb, who also played for the Commanders when he was washed up, is the reason Daniels wears No. 5.

“When I was younger, my favorite quarterback was Donovan McNabb," Daniels revealed when he played for the Arizona State Sun Devils before transferring and winning the Heisman Trophy with the LSU Tigers. "And I had his Philadelphia Eagles jersey. He wore number five, and that is why I picked that jersey number.”

Dec 9, 2023: LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels poses for photos with the Heisman Trophy. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In a recent Sports Illustrated interview, Daniels also named Michael Vick as his favorite player growing up. But that was for a different reason: his 100 speed rating on "Madden NFL." (Daniels also shares in the "10 burning questions" interview that he loves playing video games, which may in turn have given him a distinct competitive edge with his VR headset training.)

You can catch the entire SI interview below. And if Daniels takes down the Eagles, he'll do something neither McNabb or Vick ever did: reach the Super Bowl.

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