Rookie seasons aren’t supposed to go as well as Jayden Daniels’ did in 2024. The second pick in the draft, Daniels joined a Washington Commanders team that had won just four games the previous year. Together with a new coaching setup and some key veteran additions, he turned the franchise on its head in 2024, winning 12 regular-season matchups before reaching the NFC Championship Game.
Now, with rival teams all too familiar with the player’s elite strengths, Daniels has revealed how he intends to keep terrorizing NFL defenses in 2025 and beyond.
Jayden Daniels Aims To Keep Improving in 2025
During an appearance on Jon Gruden’s YouTube channel for Barstool Sports, Daniels revealed how he intends to prevent things from going stale in 2025. Daniels revitalized an entire city with his performances last season, injecting a sense of pride in a previously downtrodden fan base.
Gruden put it to Daniels that, after a year in the league, opposing teams were now far more aware of what to expect when facing him. He then asked the quarterback how he felt about being the guy teams want to stop in 2025.
“You know, last year, nobody, like I just said, knew what was coming out of the huddle. We had no idea what plays you were gonna run and what spin you were gonna put on the plays. But now, I know every team in the league has made you the No. 1 offseason project. You know these coaches are sitting in there, day in, day out, studying you. How does that motivate you? And what does that make you feel like?”
Daniels answered with the maturity and professionalism that fans have grown to expect. The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year stated his belief that he still had a lot to improve on, and that he intended to keep working hard and improving his game.
“I just think, as a competitor, you’re always trying to find little ways to get better. For me, last year was last year; that was great. But it’s a whole new year now, and I’ve still got to go out there and prove myself to my teammates, the organization, each and every day, that I’m getting better.
“When it’s time to prepare, when those games come, I’ve got to know that, ‘Hey, how can I – How can I eliminate some tendencies’ and stuff like that. ‘Cause that’s the big thing, you know, coaches are always trying to find tendencies of what this player will do so they can anticipate it and, hopefully, get you in that situation.”
A successful rookie season is no guarantee of future success. But with what is clearly a very bright mind to go along with his obvious talent, Daniels is in a good place to avoid the dreaded, [whispers] sophomore slump.