Fans Flirt With the Idea of Jayden Daniels Becoming the First $100 Million QB: “That’s Why Mama’s the Agent”

Jayden Daniels’ rookie season wasn’t just a success — it was a statement. The Washington Commanders’ 24-year-old quarterback took the league by storm with an incredible tally of 25 TDs and 3,568 total yards while securing a historic NFC Championship berth for his team. With each dazzling scramble and pinpoint throw, he made one thing clear: he belongs.

The question now is, can Daniels make history by becoming the NFL’s first $100 million-per-year quarterback? NFL contract expert J.I. Halsell says it’s tricky to predict at this point. Daniels is still on his rookie deal, and it will take a few years — and a whole lot more success — to land a league-resetting contract.

Even without achieving much, he’s bound to secure a solid deal. We’ve seen it happen in recent years, with Dak Prescott’s contract reaching $60 million per year. However, how much Daniels actually makes will depend on his contract structure, Halsell added — whether it’s purely new money or a deal with a true average per year, which includes both existing and new money.

“I think the magic question is, does he have a chance to be the first $100 million per year quarterback? And it really just depends on how you value these deals—new money average per year versus the true average per year from the day he signs the deal,” Halsell said in his appearance at 106.7 Radio Network.

Despite soaring salary caps, Halsell isn’t quite convinced that Daniels will hit the $100 million mark just yet. But the $90 million mark? That’s a realistic possibility, according to the expert.

“I don’t know that he gets to $100 million. Could he get to $90 million? I think $90 million is very plausible. But average per year isn’t the most important factor—it’s really about what’s guaranteed at signing and all those other pieces.”

$90 million isn’t $100 million, but it’s still a lot of money. Naturally, Daniels’ fans were pumped to hear the QB had a real shot at making history for that very reason.

From praising Daniels’ mother-cum-agent, Regina Jackson, as the potential facilitator of this deal to sarcastically calling out Kirk Cousins for spoiling the QB market, a good chunk of NFL fans were thrilled. Some, however, still believed Jayden Daniels actually has a chance to breach the $100 million-per-year mark.

The majority, however, outright rejected the idea of such a massive contract, finding it too unrealistic to even consider at this point. Others urged Daniels to be smart and follow Tom Brady’s lead, as the GOAT famously took pay cuts to help the Patriots retain star players around him.

This speculation around Daniels’ future payday comes at a time when the market for quarterbacks is skyrocketing. Even Brock Purdy, who had an up-and-down 2024 season, is expected to sign a contract in the range of Dak Prescott’s $60 million-per-year deal.

This development has only further fueled the conversation around Daniels’ potential future payday. If a quarterback like Purdy—who had a relatively mediocre 2024 season—can command nearly $60 million per year, what could someone with Daniels’ upside demand in a few years?

One thing is for sure: if Daniels continues his rise, $100 million per season might not be a pipe dream after all.