Jayden Daniels has amazed everyone with his spectacular performances in his first year in the league. The No. 2 overall pick has proven to be a lucky charm for the Washington Commanders, already leading them to an impressive record of 4-1.
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However, while the rookie quarterback continues to break new records in each of his outings, former Panthers QB Cam Newton had a piece of advice that might help him going forward.
On his 4th&1 show, Newton shared some insightful guidance for the Heisman winner. “Dear Jayden Daniels,” he began. Addressing the sudden limelight surrounding the rookie, he then advised Daniels not to let himself get lost in the hubbub.
“Don’t drink the Kool-Aid. Trust me, it’s a trap,” said the former NFL MVP, while telling Daniels to keep playing as he has and not let the praise go to his head.
“Whatever the f*** you’ve been doing, keep doing. Don’t listen to how they build you up. Lock the f*** in and keep f***ing playing your ass off. “
The reasoning behind this advice comes from personal experience and also from Dak Prescott’s rookie year. A top pick himself back in the day, Newton, like Daniels, performed well from his debut season and was quickly thrust into the spotlight. The Cowboys quarterback followed a similar path, becoming the Offensive Rookie of the Year and setting several records in his initial years.
However, that sentiment has since changed. Fans are now constantly bashing the Cowboys’ signal-caller, whether for his lack of success in the postseason or for any subpar outing in the regular season.
Thus, Newton strongly advises not to fall into the trap created by the media and fans’ noise. He explained how every achievement receives immense hype initially, but it might also change very quickly.
“Understand that it’s the big leagues now. The same way that they build Dak up — ‘Oh man, he’s still on his rookie contract. Pay the man, pay the man, pay the man.’ Now, (they are saying) ‘Dak ain’t shit.'”
Newton concluded the conversation by advising Daniels to keep up the grind and stay focused. He also pointed out that “it’s a long season” and that only the first quarter has been completed, emphasizing that much can happen in that timeframe.
So far, Daniels seems to be on the right track, winning games and breaking records. But could he match or surpass what the Cowboys quarterback achieved back in 2016?
Daniels to surpass Prescott’s rookie year performance?
Originally listed as a backup quarterback, Prescott got the chance to lead the team from the front when Tony Romo got injured in the 2016 preseason. What followed was an utterly impressive run by the rookie, as he finished the season with the second-highest number of yards, along with the fourth-highest number of touchdowns.
Named the Offensive Rookie of the Year, the Dallas rookie led the first-ever pro team to win the NFC East title. He also got selected into the Pro Bowl and finished 6th in the race for the MVP title. While these accolades seem nothing short of spectacular, Daniels might have un-upped Prescott in the five games he has played so far.
Being labeled the NFC Offensive Player of the Month in September, Daniels has been on the upward climb. He boasts the highest completion percentage for a rookie in the first four career games in the league’s history at 82.1%. Moreover, he has become the first-ever rookie to amass at least 1000 passing yards and 250 rushing yards in the first five games.
With every week’s outing, Daniels breaks and sets some new records. If he continues this trajectory, it won’t be long before the former LSU star surpasses Prescott’s rookie year stats.
