How will Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels follow up his amazing rookie season in 2025?
Throughout the entire offseason, you’ve had many analysts and fans calling the Commanders a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2025. It would seem like a natural progression considering Washington made it to the NFC championship game in 2024, which happened to be the franchise’s best season in 33 years.
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On the other hand, some believe Daniels will have a sophomore slump this season.
What does Daniels think about the external expectations facing the Commanders in 2025?
“Interesting,” Daniels said. That’s it.
Of course, he followed up when asked if he had received any veteran advice from teammates about managing those external expectations.
“To be fair, they don’t really tell me that because I don’t pay attention to it anyway,” Daniels said. “So, they’re not really worried about me coming in and talking about what was said on ESPN. I don’t really care.”
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You couldn’t have scripted a better answer. When those close to Daniels tell you that nothing bothers him, it’s easy to see. He’s concerned only about his game, his performance, and how he can help his team improve. That’s not often the case with younger players.
Daniels also touched on the sophomore slump narrative.
“I’m going out there trying to be the best version of myself,” he said. “I don’t really look at individual accolades; if we’re winning football games, those come hopefully. So, I’m trying to do whatever it takes to win.”
You can never predict how a season will unfold or account for injuries and other factors, but don’t bet on Daniels experiencing the dreaded sophomore slump. Something else to remember, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson won MVP awards in their second NFL seasons.
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No pressure. Not that it would matter anyway.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders’ Jayden Daniels has one-word response outside expectations