Better Than Manning: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Targeting Hall-of-Famer

After surpassing Tom Brady in Week 4, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is eyeing Peyton Manning in Week 5.

Sep 15, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the New York Giants at Commanders Field. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

If you're reading this you're probably a Washington Commanders fan, or at least a Jayden Daniels fan.

It's possible you're just a huge football nerd and want to know in what world we'd have the audacity to say the Commanders rookie has already passed the legendary Tom Brady and is about to pass Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning.

Well, in the world of four-game seasons, nobody has ever done one thing better than the Washington rookie. Not even Brady, and maybe not even Manning once we get to five games.

Sep 15, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the New York Giants at Commanders Field. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Because Daniels passed Brady for the highest completion percentage in NFL history for a quarterback through the first four games of any season with his 82.1 percent mark beating the legend's 79.2 percent rate in 2007.

This weekend, when his Commanders host the Cleveland Browns, Daniels could topple another legend of the game by surpassing Peyton Manning's first-five-game total completion percentage of 75.8 percent mark from 2013 while with the Denver Broncos.

The wild thing is, however, that Manning doesn't even hold the best first-five completion percentage in NFL history. Instead, that honor goes to New Orleans Saints legend and future Hall of Famer Drew Brees who completed 77.9 percent of his 190 pass attempts in the first five games of the 2018 NFL season.

Daniels currently sits at 106 pass attempts, so no matter what his completion percentage is he won't come close to the amount of throws Manning (198) and Brees (190) had at the same point in their respective seasons. But that fact actually makes it more impressive that he might beat them both.

The five-game record Manning does hold, is the best completion percentage of all-time through any five game window. From Week 13 to 17 in 2008 Manning completed 80.2 percent of his passes. Another mark Daniels could beat this Sunday in front of an excited home crowd.

---

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

More Washington Commanders News

• Commanders Players' Injury Status Revealed Before Browns Game

• Commanders Ready for Tough Test Against Browns Defense

• Commanders' Jayden Daniels Remaining Focused Despite Heavy Recognition

• Commanders Pass Rusher Named Hidden Gem