The Washington Commanders hit the jackpot by selecting Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The quarterback completely changed the franchise and took them to the NFC Championship Game.
The Commanders fell on the last hurdle before the Super Bowl, losing 55-23 to the Philadelphia Eagles. However, there wasn’t much disappointment around the franchise, as everyone knew they exceeded all expectations this season.
Jayden Daniels Makes His Pick for Super Bowl 59
Daniels was recently asked who he thinks will win the Super Bowl matchup between the Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. The LSU product was hesitant to pick a team but is leaning towards the two-time defending champions to get the job done.
In a conversation with Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson on the “Nightcap” show, the 24-year-old quarterback praised both teams.
“I think it’s going to come down to whoever got the ball last,” Daniels said. “I think obviously, Saquon and what they do, [Jalen] Hurts, you got A.J. Brown, and then on the other side, you got Pat [Mahomes]. So, it’s hard to bet against Pat, especially [since] he’s been here.”
Daniels stressed that it’s hard to bet against Mahomes and believed the game would go down to the wire and could be decided by which team gets the edge in the turnover battle.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels is betting on the #Chiefs to win the Super Bowl:
“It’s hard to bet against Pat [Mahomes].”
👀👀👀
(via @NightcapShow_) pic.twitter.com/ki5kYSCaOM
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 5, 2025
“I think it’s who could create more turnovers, who can create more negative plays on the side of the ball, and I think it will come down to the end,” Daniels added. “So, for me, I think it’s hard to bet against Pat. I love playing the Eagles, they’re in the division, but I think it’s hard to bet against Pat.”
The Chiefs are currently on a 17-game winning streak in one-possession games and have also won nine of their last 10 one-possession games in the playoffs. If the Super Bowl goes as Daniels has envisioned, Kansas City will be more likely to get the job done than Philadelphia.
In close games, the team with a better head coach and a quarterback usually gets the job done. Since Andy Reid and Mahomes are universally accepted as the best HC-QB duo in the league, pressure will be on Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts to prove everyone wrong.
Saquon Barkley has to be at his best to give the Eagles a shot at winning the Super Bowl, as his explosive runs could help the team create a big lead. The Chiefs’ run defense has been excellent throughout the season, so it will be interesting to see whether the star running back will impact the game as he has done so far.
Commanders Could Play in Super Bowl Next Season
Daniels and the Commanders won 12 games this past season and pulled off a huge upset in the Divisional Round against the Detroit Lions. The NFC East team’s quarterback is already viewed as one of the best players in his position, and the future looks bright in Washington. Daniels finished No. 9 in PFN’s QB+ metric.
The Commanders are also projected to have the third-most cap space in the league next season. They have the resources to surround their quarterback with more talent, and they can potentially make it to the Super Bowl next season.
Since Daniels has proved he can perform under pressure, the franchise will not hesitate to go all-in to make a run at the Super Bowl while the quarterback is on his rookie contract. In three playoff games this past season, the Commanders star threw for 822 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception, completing 65.8% of his throws and notching a passer rating of 97.9.
Daniels doesn’t turn the ball over much and can make plays with his legs when required. If he can build on what was arguably the best rookie season ever from a quarterback, the Commanders will be a force to be reckoned with in the NFC.