Commanders’ Rookie Daniels Shows Promise in Loss

Washington Commanders’ rookie QB Jayden Daniels shines despite 37-20 loss to Buccaneers, showing growth and resilience.

Sep 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) drops back to pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

TAMPA, Fl. – The Washington Commanders fell 37-20 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their first loss of the NFL season.

As much as the Commanders wanted to win, of course, they also had a secondary priority of establishing their identity as a team. 

That identity has been carefully crafted beginning with the hiring of general manager Adam Peters, then head coach Dan Quinn, and including the selection of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Washington wants to be aggressive, to be a team worth battling, and getting Daniels’ first game under his belt was an important next step in the process of fully becoming that team. 

READ MORE: Commanders' Jayden Daniels Scores Second Touchdown vs. Bucs

Sep 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) drops back to pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

“I grade myself hard. We didn't win. I'm a competitor. I like to win, but overall it went well, pretty well,” Daniels said of his first regular-season NFL action. “There's some stuff that as an offense we left on the field. We have to execute better, but it's a long season. We're going to move on from this.”

Grading himself hard is going to be important, but so too is having the ability to enjoy the process and appreciate the positives that can be found within a loss. Afterall this team wants players who love football, assistant general manager Lance Newmark said recently. And to truly love something you have to get some joy out of it as well.

While the overall result is a loss, there are certainly wins within it the Commanders will try to build on while looking to resolve their missteps. 

One of those building blocks, according to offensive lineman Sam Cosmi, is the now proven poise of his young quarterback.

“I think, for the first time, there was a lot of stuff thrown at him, and for the most part, I think his ability to stay calm amongst adversity was very strong,” Cosmi said of Daniels. “I didn’t feel from him anything wavering or any panic or anything like that. There was a moment at the very end – we were in the huddle during like a timeout and we kind of just looked at each other like, ‘Hey man, we [have] something here. It is a two-minute drive - we can do something. Let’s learn from this.”’ 

Daniels has been praised often since arriving to Washington for his poise, calm demeanor, and professionalism that doesn’t come often with an NFL rookie at any position. But to be praised by a teammate like Cosmi who just received a hard-earned four-year extension this past week, the complement often heard took on a new level of importance.

“That speaks volumes, especially from somebody that obviously did it at a high level, you know, got to the second contract, stuff like that, that's been playing at a high level,” Daniels said upon learning of the complimentary comments made by Cosmi. “For him to say that about me, that means a lot. Especially that's the type of teammate I'm trying to be where somebody can look at me and say, ‘Hey, no matter what, that kid is going to give it his all.’”

And Daniels did indeed give it his all. Which is exactly what the Commanders need from him to keep finding little successes as they pursue the wins that come from continuing that work towards becoming the team they believe they can be.

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READ MORE: Commanders Blown Out in Week 1 Loss to Buccaneers

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