Last season, Houston Texans rookie quarterback CJ Stroud shocked the NFL with one of the best rookie seasons in years. Stroud would be named a pro bowler and ended up winning the offensive rookie of the year award.
He also helped the Texans win their first division title since Deshaun Watson’s departure and would defeat the Cleveland Browns in the wild card round. Their miracle run would eventually come to an end in the divisional round against the Baltimore Ravens.
After Stroud’s successful season, it established a precedent that rookie QB’s can completely turn around a franchise. This kind of pressure was put on the next class of quarterbacks in the NFL.
Two rookie QB’s accomplished that feat this season: Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels. While Nix had an impressive rookie campaign: he threw 29 touchdown passes and took the Denver Broncos back to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
However, Daniels not only matched what Stroud did last year, but he also exceeded it. Daniels was drafted second overall by the Washington Commanders in the 2024 draft, just after Caleb Williams.
Daniels completely turned around the Washington franchise. The Commanders went from 4-13 last season to 12-5 and a playoff berth.
Daniels himself had a good season statistically: He threw 25 touchdown passes to only nine interceptions, 3,568 passing, 891 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.
Daniels also completed 69 percent of his passes, had a QB rating of 100.1, averaged 7.4 yards per attempt and 209.9 passing yards per game.
Daniels was also named to the pro bowl in his rookie season and is the heavy favorite to win the offensive rookie of the year award.
Daniels most memorable moment in the regular season came against the Chicago Bears where he threw a hail mary at the end of the game that was caught in the endzone for a last-second victory for Washington.
In the playoffs Daniels continued his first-year success. Daniels and the Commanders faced Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild card round at Tampa Bay.
Daniels and the Commanders shocked everyone and defeated the Bucs 23-20 on a last second field goal by kicker Zane Gonzalez.
In the divisional round Washington faced the top-seeded Detroit Lions. However, the Lions defense had been decimated by injury and Washington had the chance to take advantage.
After putting up 45 points and forcing four turnovers, the Commanders breezed past Detroit to clinch their spot in the NFC championship against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Daniels isn’t the first rookie to compete in an AFC/NFC title game, the most recent being Brock Purdy in 2022. However, he has a chance to be the first rookie to compete in the Super Bowl and cap off an amazing rookie season.
Regardless of the outcome, Washington should be happy that they have found their franchise quarterback and possibly a generational talent for years to come.
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