Jayden Daniels is back in Ashburn, and he didn’t just return ready — he returned rebuilt.
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After a record-setting rookie season, the Washington Commanders quarterback has stepped back onto the practice field looking noticeably more jacked. It didn’t take long for fans, or the team itself, to take notice.
Earlier today, the Commanders’ social media team posted a two-photo Instagram carousel highlighting their QB’s offseason progress. The first image showed Daniels at practice, his arms and biceps noticeably more defined than they were at this time last year.
And the second was a hilarious image of SpongeBob SquarePants wearing a Commanders beanie, with his comically oversized pink arms nearly bursting out of his frame. But the best part about the post was the hilarious caption, which tied it all together: “Spot the difference.”
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The post was cheeky, and naturally, so were the reactions from the fans. They flooded the comment section with jokes like “My boy needs a new size practice jersey now” and “he’s about to throw the ball out of the stadium.”
But underneath the humor was real excitement amongst the fans, who were happy to see their starboy not get complacent after a dream rookie season.
For them, Daniels’ physical transformation truly showed his evolution as the leader of a franchise finally gaining real momentum, and it didn’t take long for optimism to take off. “Oh yeah, we going to the Super Bowl,” wrote a fan. “Yeah, JD5 Super Bowl run incoming,” chimed in another.
That said, none of this offseason hype works without remembering just how electric Jayden Daniels was in Year 1. He finished his seismic rookie campaign with 3,568 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and a 69% completion rate, adding 891 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
The Commanders star, however, stood out thanks to his dual-threat prowess, which NFL defenses never really had an answer to. And the icing on the cake was him using his talents to lead Washington to a 12-5 regular season record while earning a Pro Bowl selection and the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Daniels’ form last year was so mercurial that he also set nuanced rookie records with 12 fourth-quarter or overtime touchdown passes, and 5 game-tying or go-ahead touchdown throws in the final 30 seconds of regulation or overtime — the most by any player since 1970. And lastly, his 14 total wins, including playoffs, helped him equal the legendary Ben Roethlisberger’s rookie record.
So sure, Jayden Daniels might need a bigger jersey now. But what’s more important is what he’s clearly growing into: the face of a team on the rise. And if his offseason grind is any indication, Year 2 might not just be better. It might be special.
