Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels finds inspiration in Kobe Bryant’s ‘Mamba Mentality’

Kobe Bryant left a lasting impact on not just basketball but sports in general, and the latest athlete to be influenced by him is quarterback Jayden Daniels.

The 23-year-old was drafted by the Washington Commanders as the overall second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The year Daniels was born, Bryant had claimed his first NBA championship and by the time he retired, the QB had just started his high school. And yet, Bryant’s mantra for success lives on even after his passing.

On Thursday, Daniels reposted a reel on Instagram to his stories. The clip shared was from Bryant’s appearance on ‘The Art of Charm’ podcast in 2019, a few months before his death.

Jayden Daniels' Instagram story

In the clip posted by Jayden Daniels, Bryant explains the core of his mentality.

“That's the mountain. Now that mountain is made up of a million little steps, right and little goals along the way. You establish your mountain and then after that you don't look to the summit. Forget about [what] you came to see.”

“You just focus on the next step in front of you, right. You put one foot in front of the other one foot in front of the other and you just keep your head down. You keep working and keep working. You keep working. The next thing you know you find yourself at the top of the mountain.”

As Daniels prepares to lead a fledgling franchise to the zenith of the NFL, Bryant’s inspiration will be necessary for him to overcome the challenges of pro football.

Kobe Bryant’s ‘Mamba Mentality’ in the NFL

Even though the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar has inspired a ton of followers in the NBA, his impact has been felt in the world of the NFL as well. Young and old, many have cited Bryant’s lessons as the reason behind their success.

Former Ravens QB Robert Griffin III and seven-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams have credited their motivation to the 'Black Mamba' himself. Stars such as Derek Carr have also pledged their allegiance to the ‘Mamba mentality’.

Amongst the newbies, apart from Jayden Daniels, last year’s overall second pick, CJ Stroud has also shared his inspiration from the ‘Mamba mentality’.

If so many top athletes in a sport that Bryant didn't play cite him as their inspiration, it shows the greatness of the late NBA legend.