Rookie quarterbacks are not supposed to lead their team to a conference championship game. It is not the norm and it’s happened only 5 times previously. But here we are as first year signal caller Jayden Daniels gets set to become the 6th as his Washington Commanders visit the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
“I think he’s the best rookie quarterback we’ve ever seen,” said former Heisman Trophy winner and first round draft pick Matt Leinart on the most recent episode of his podcast, Throwbacks. “The maturity and what he’s been able to do in one year… From the Commanders winning, what, four games last year? New coach, GM, everything new on that team and for him to do this and put this team in this position and I think have a real shot of beating the Eagles this weekend… It’s wild to me how great he has been this year.”
Daniels finished the regular season 10th in touchdown passes, 6th in completion percentage and 4th in QBR earning him a spot on this year’s Pro Bowl roster and prompting Leinart to place him in the top tier of quarterbacks from the 2024 season.
“Josh Allen, Lamar [Jackson], obviously, [Patrick] Mahomes – and Mahomes statistically didn’t have a great year, but look where he’s at again – and Joe Burrow… Jayden Daniels is a top five quarterback in the league right now.”
Leinart emphasized that Daniels’ performance this season is made even more impressive by the fact that he’s thrived despite not having a star-studded supporting cast around him. But Leinart believes that may soon change.
“[Washington is] going to start to get dudes because dudes are going to be like ‘I want to go play with that quarterback and have a chance to win a super bowl.’”
Six rookie quarterbacks have made it this far, none have made it further. Daniels’ quest to become the first takes place this Sunday in Philadelphia.
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