Jayden Daniels is rewriting the rookie quarterback record books while leading the Washington Commanders into playoff contention. In His Week 16 performance, Daniels became the first rookie in NFL history to throw 5+ touchdowns and rush for 50+ yards in a single game.
This historic outing inspired a 36-33 comeback victory over the Philadelphia Eagles as Dan Quinn’s team overcame a 14-point first-quarter deficit and a 13-point hole in the fourth.
Jayden Daniels’ Mother Couldn’t Be More Proud
The rookie sensation dazzled with 339 total yards — 258 through the air and 81 on the ground. He also recorded five touchdown passes, including a game-winning nine-yarder to Jamison Crowder with just six seconds left.
His mother, Regina, took to social media to celebrate the milestone with a five-word tweet: “10-5 That’s the tweet ❤️💛,” highlighting Washington’s best start since 1991.
10-5 That's the tweet ❤️💛
— Mz Jackson (@LovelyMzJackson) December 23, 2024
Daniels’ stats this season are nothing short of phenomenal.
With 4,040 combined passing and rushing yards and 28 total touchdowns, he’s matched Andrew Luck’s rookie achievements and inches closer to Robert Griffin III’s single-season rushing record.
In his postgame press conference, Daniels talked about his thinking process and what inspired him when the Commanders were trailing. Daniels said, “When it’s on thin ice and plays need to be made, that’s what you live for if you really love this sport. You live for those big-time moments where it comes down to the end. You know, everything’s against you, back’s against the wall. How will you respond?”
Daniels currently has 737 rushing yards, needing just 79 more to surpass RGIII’s 2012 tally. At this pace, the former LSU Tigers quarterback is a near-lock for Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Eagles were playing without Jalen Hurts after a first-quarter concussion that seemed to hurt them. Nick Sirianni’s men failed to keep up despite Saquon Barkley’s 150-yard, two-touchdown performance on the ground.
Kenny Pickett, who filled in for Hurts as the backup QB, had a solid outing but couldn’t stave off Daniels’ second-half surge. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner has augmented the Commanders’ playoff chances, and sitting at 10-5, Quinn’s men are in the thick of the NFC Wild Card race and still have a faint hope (less than 1%) of an NFC East crown.
They trail the Green Bay Packers (10-4) but sit above teams like the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card standings. Daniels’ leadership has given a major boost to fans’ spirits, and the 24-year-old rookie QB has two games left to further make his case for NFL’s Rookie of the Year.
