Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels helped break the team’s drought of NFC Championship appearances with a shocking victory over the Detroit Lions last week.
Daniels was 22 of 31 with 299 passing yards and two touchdown passes. He was not sacked in the game and Washington was 3-for-4 on fourth-down conversion attempts.
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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, #5, throws during warmups before an NFL divisional football playoff game Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025 in Detroit. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The young quarterback’s ability to stay composed and under control in high-pressure situations earned him praise from arguably the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady. The former NFL star compared Daniels to Tiger Woods during an episode of “Let’s Go!” podcast.
“How do we really evaluate confidence? How do we evaluate poise? Because some people have it. The moments are not too big for them,” Brady said. “They look at the challenge and think, ‘Man, it’s going to be awesome when we go out and beat these guys.’ And the other guys look at the challenge and they’re like, ‘Oh, man, I really don’t want to mess up.’ And I think the fear of failure, instilled in many people early in their lives, it distances them from the ultimate confidence they have in themselves, allowing them to grow to their full potential.
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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, #5, walks to the locker room after an NFL football divisional playoff game against the Detroit Lions on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Río)
“So even though Jayden Daniels is just a rookie, he has that poise and confidence. Imagine, I guess, another correlation, look at a young Tiger Woods. He had never shown on the big stage that he was ready for those big moments at the Masters in 1997, but he had proven to himself in all those junior amateur tournaments he won, that he didn’t care who he played against.
Daniels seemed to maintain a one-game-at-a-time mentality as he spoke to reporters about the possibility of going to the Super Bowl with a win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
If the Commanders win the NFC Championship, it will be their first Super Bowl appearance since the 1991 season, when the organization was known as the Washington Redskins. Daniels would also be the first rookie quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl.
“I’m not even thinking that far ahead. Obviously it would be a blessing, but I’m just focused on how I can get better day by day,” he said via Pro Football Talk.
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, #5, celebrates a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the second half of an NFL football divisional playoff game Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025 in Detroit. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The Commanders and Eagles play at 3 pm ET on Sunday. The game can be seen on FOX.
