It has been a mind-boggling year for Jayden Daniels.
The dual-threat quarterback won the Heisman Trophy with LSU before coming to a 4-13 Washington Commanders team under a new head coach in Dan Quinn and a complete organizational reset. Turning in one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory, he led the team to the playoffs and their first playoff win in 19 seasons.
He was excellent, both through the air and on the ground, en route to the first road playoff win for a rookie quarterback in 11 years. He became just the fourth rookie to do so, elevating his new teammates far beyond expectations. However, that doesn’t mean he forgot about his old ones.
LSU Rookies Cheer for Jayden Daniels
Daniels was electric in his final season with the LSU Tigers, scoring 50 total touchdowns, leading the NCAA with nearly 5,000 total yards, and breaking the FBS single-season passer rating record. To help him achieve those numbers, he had two wide receivers who came into the league with him and became instant sensations in their own right.
Those names are, of course, Jacksonville Jaguars star Brian Thomas Jr. and New York Giants dynamo Malik Nabers. In their final season together, the trio set the SEC ablaze and foreshadowed their NFL success. By PFN’s QB+ metric, Daniels was the league’s ninth-best quarterback in his debut campaign, instantly emerging as one of the game’s rising stars.
While Thomas led the FBS in receiving touchdowns (17), Nabers earned a unanimous All-American selection on the back of 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns on the year. While the latter made first-team All-SEC, Thomas was a second-team honoree.
Nabers also won MVP of the Citrus Bowl in 2023, thanks to a 163-touchdown and a passing touchdown on a trick play. He finished his collegiate career as the Tigers’ all-time leader in receiving yards with 3,003.
While their NFL careers took them in different directions, the three still had a vested interest in each other. Both WRs made the trip to Tampa Bay to cheer on their former quarterback.
Nabers was live on Instagram when Zane Gonzalez ricocheted a 37-yard field goal off the upright to send Washington to the Divisional Round, his reaction echoing the shock and disbelief of all onlookers.
Ultimately, the Commanders went on the road and beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20.
#Giants WR Malik Nabers had this priceless reaction to the #Commanders winning vs the Bucs:
“Roll em 5’s out!”
(via:dbeckham.fyp) pic.twitter.com/dLpII0DFau
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) January 13, 2025
Daniels shared a picture with his former battery mates on his Instagram story. With a simple caption of an infinity symbol, blue heart, and blood, his message was loud and clear.
LSU BROTHERHOOD: Jayden Daniels with his former receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. in Tampa after his first career playoff win in Tampa tonight.
Awesome to see how all three of them continue to support each other, and they’ve all turned into superstars in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/UwkZkzgjwX
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 13, 2025
Now, Daniels moves on to the NFC Divisional Round in a hotly-anticipated matchup against the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions. It’s safe to say that he will have some familiar faces cheering him on, but it’ll take more than support to take down the Super Bowl contender.