Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels is making headlines both on and off the field. The second-overall pick has already shown his mettle on the gridiron, currently standing at 2-1 — a record that even the Super Bowl runner-ups don’t boast. And at the same time, he seems to be entrenched in the culture of the franchise, paying tribute to a legend cherished by all Commanders fans, Doug Williams.
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Right before the matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, the star quarterback took the field for warm-ups, donning a black T-shirt that featured several pictures of Williams. As a former quarterback for the franchise who left an indelible mark, it was quite a tribute from Daniels, leaving fans rightly in awe.
Jayden Daniels rocking the Doug Williams t-shirt in pregame warmups pic.twitter.com/VSw475LtRJ
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) September 29, 2024
The 69-year-old NFL legend played for the Commanders (then-Redskins) for four years at the tail end of his career. In his second season with the team, Williams went on to win the Super Bowl, becoming the first black quarterback to do so. Williams now serves as a Senior Advisor for his former team.
In a way, Williams was instrumental in opening doors for future generations of black quarterbacks. Especially considering that during his era, not many players of African-American descent considered playing the position.
The landscape, however, has since changed. With rookies like Daniels and Caleb Williams, there are a few other starting QBs, mostly dual-threats, who have gone to change the game for the better.
That said, during his chat with Jason Reid of Andscape, the Super Bowl MVP went on to shower praise on the rookie quarterback after Daniels secured the team’s second straight win last week.
“The thing you really notice about him is that he’s in control the whole time,” Williams remarked. “He’s never in a hurry. For a rookie, that’s kind of unheard of. Again, you just don’t see rookies have that type of composure, especially after only three starts. Believe me, I know.”
Clearly, Daniels has left quite the impression on the former NFL quarterback. But he isn’t the only one.
Is Daniels the best in his class?
While discussing which rookie has been making waves this NFL season, Hall of Famer wide receiver Randy Moss went straight for Daniels. “Is there anyone playing better football than this young man right here? I can’t find one,” he said.
Moss wholeheartedly believes that Daniels’ success and the mettle he has shown in the past three games can be sustained. He has somewhat mastered the deep part of the passing game, which Moss believes is not typically expected from a rookie.
On top of this, the former wide receiver noted that the Commanders’ offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, has modified his “Air Reid” offense to better suit the rookie quarterback. Their 2-1 record and a 7-point lead against the Cardinals, as of now, is proof of that.
