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The Washington Commanders were able to draft their franchise quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. After the Chicago Bears selected Caleb Williams with the first pick, the Commanders took Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick.
Daniels was coming off a Heisman-winning season at LSU, where he threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns. He also ran for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. That play style immediately translated to the NFL, as the 24-year-old had one of the greatest rookie quarterback seasons of all time.
But is Daniels' 2024 campaign the best rookie season we have ever seen from a quarterback in NFL history? Let's dive in and find out.
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Jayden Daniels' Rookie Season
It usually takes rookie quarterbacks a while to get accustomed to the NFL level. However, Daniels' patience and poise in the pocket were immediately on display in his first career game. Although the Commanders lost 37-20 to the Buccaneers in the season opener, there were plenty of positives to take away from the 24-year-old.
Then, his coming out came in Week 3 on Monday night against the Bengals. With the Commanders up by five points in the final 2:15, Daniels made the perfect 27-yard throw to Terry McLaurin to put the game out of reach. From that point forward, the former LSU product was unstoppable.
JAYDEN DANIELS. TERRY MCLAURIN. THE COMMANDERS.
📺: #WASvsCIN on ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/bP5qrpGN8q— NFL (@NFL) September 24, 2024
He ended the regular season with 3,568 pass yards, 25 passing touchdowns, 891 rush yards, and six rushing touchdowns. Then, in the postseason, he took down the No. 3 seeded Buccaneers and the No. 1 seeded Detroit Lions in the first two rounds behind his stellar play. Unfortunately, Daniels and the Commanders eventually lost to the Eagles in the NFC Championship.
Is Jayden Daniels The Greatest Rookie QB Of All Time?
This is the biggest question following Daniels' historic rookie season, and the short answer to that question is yes. He just had the greatest rookie quarterback season of all time. He took a four-win Commanders team from 2023 and helped them get to the NFC Championship game one year later. That Conference Championship appearance ended a 33-year drought for the organization.
It was truly impressive to watch Daniels operate in his rookie season. His 822 passing yards in the postseason were the most for a rookie quarterback ever. He also joined Joe Flacco as the only two rookie quarterbacks to beat a No. 1 seed on the road in the playoffs and joined Peyton Manning as the only two quarterbacks to win a road playoff game without a turnover or punt in NFL history.
Jayden Daniels with one of the greatest rookie QB seasons we will ever see:
🫡 12-5 regular season record
🫡 37 total TD (reg. season + playoffs)
🫡 Led @Commanders to the NFC Title game for the first time in 33 years pic.twitter.com/QbWQptNTBA— NFL (@NFL) January 27, 2025
Daniels' rookie campaign was something no one has ever seen. He broke many records and made the Commanders a threat in the NFC. The only other rookie quarterback to have such an impact in Year 1 was Russell Wilson back in 2011. Wilson led the Seahawks to an 11-5 record and finished with 3,118 pass yards and 26 touchdowns. But it's safe to say that the Washington quarterback had a better rookie season.
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