The Washington Commanders broke a 19-year playoff win drought last season, led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and defensive captain Bobby Wagner.
After signing an extension this offseason, Wagner said he’s excited to watch Daniels’ development and see how far Washington can go in 2025.
sooo what do we think @Bwagz is saying? pic.twitter.com/UThxnyrEss
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) June 12, 2025
Bobby Wagner Speaks On Year Two For Star QB Jayden Daniels
“(Jayden Daniels) is definitely hungry,” Wagner said. “He is locked in. He understands that when he came into the league last year, people were unsure. Now they know how good a player he is. His work ethic and his approach to understanding this season will be a little bit different. I’m excited to see what he does. He’s been putting in the work, and he’ll be fun to watch.”
Daniels’ rookie campaign wasn’t just impressive, it was otherworldly. He set the record for most NFL Rookie of the Week honors (11), broke Robert Griffin III’s rookie QB rushing record, set the rookie record for most touchdown passes in the 4th quarter & OT (12), and he became the first rookie QB ever to have at least 10 wins, 30+ total touchdowns, and over 4,000 combined yards.
What Wagner said was correct, though. Daniels is officially on the map, and defenses will be especially keyed in on him to limit his impact.
From the looks of it, not only do Daniel and the Commanders want to recreate their 2024 success, they want to surpass it.
Bobby Wagner on Jayden Daniels entering Year 2, now that the NFL knows what he is capable of:
“He’s definitely hungry. … I’m excited to see what he does. He’s been putting in the work. He’s going to be fun to watch again.” pic.twitter.com/dYoXijkIMW
— Ethan Cadeaux (@Ethan_Cadeaux) June 11, 2025
Bobby Wagner On What He Expects From Himself In Year 14
From up-and-coming quarterback to established veteran, Wagner kept it simple when asked what he is looking for in his 14th year in the NFL.
“Greatness,” Wagner said. “I want to be great. The players and the coaches, they make it fun to come to work every day. I want to win for them, and I want to continue to be successful with them.”
Last year, Wagner recorded 132 total tackles (75 solo), two sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and four pass breakups.
He will be turning 35 years old later this month, but has barely lost a step on the field. Any regression in that area is easily made up for by his IQ and leadership abilities.
Bobby Wagner on year 14: pic.twitter.com/7HimNbnhVg
— Mitchell Tischler (@Mitch_Tischler) June 11, 2025
Washington finished with a 12-5 record and an NFC Championship appearance last season. The team has shored up both the offensive and defensive line, brought in key playmakers like Deebo Samuel, and more or less retained the players who played key roles. Barring any injuries or unforeseen changes, the Commanders are set up to be a serious contender in 2025.
They will open the regular season at home against the New York Giants on Sunday, September 7.
About Bobby Wagner
After a college career at Utah State, the Southern California native was selected by the Seahawks during the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Wagner helped Seattle win Super Bowl XLVIII in 2013.
After spending the first 10 seasons of his career with the Seahawks, Wagner joined Seattle’s NFC West rival on March 31, 2022. The six-time All-Pro player was released by the Seahawks on March 8, 2022.
In 2022, the Rams finished in third place in the NFC West with a 5-12 record. Los Angeles failed to qualify for the NFL Playoffs after winning the Super Bowl last season. Wagner recorded 140 total tackles, 81 solo tackles, six sacks, two interceptions, and five pass breakups as a member of the Rams.
In 2023, the former USU standout received his ninth career AP All-Pro honor. Wagner has been named to the All-Pro first team six times and three times to the second team during his 11-year NFL career.
Bobby Wagner in his first season with the Commanders:
🪖 88.3 PFF grade | 3rd among all LBs
Running it back in Washington 🔁 pic.twitter.com/KF66uvKRPC
— PFF (@PFF) March 6, 2025
About #LocalsInTheNFL
For over five years, KSL Sports has provided coverage on all NFL players with ties to the state of Utah.
Whether they attended Utah or BYU or grew up in the Beehive State, we keep you caught up with how the locals are performing on the highest stage.
From highlights to trades and other breaking news, check out our Locals In The NFL coverage here.
Chandler Holt is a co-host of the Jazz Notes podcast, a Locals In The NFL Insider, and Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com. Follow Chandler on X for Utah Jazz and Locals In The NFL updates.
Take us with you, wherever you go.