'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAb/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACA//aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAmhQ//8QAIxAAAQMCBQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgEDBAUSAAYREzIhIjFRYv/aAAgBAQABPwCDVstxaEiOxJiPuJuMvJyUlETK7u04/PnB5WhXlfTJbha9T3GxuX3pdj//xAAYEQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgMhMf/aAAgBAgEBPwCN7w//xAAbEQACAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgADERJBwf/aAAgBAwEBPwCsuKrY66Z//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Jayden Daniels is having a special season. The Washington Commanders quarterback is still a rookie, but he has already led the franchise to their best-ever season since 1991 when they ended up winning the Super Bowl.
Daniels can make this season even more special on Sunday. The Commanders will travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles in a division rivalry that will determine which NFC team will represent the conference in the Super Bowl. During the regular season, both teams won their respective home games, though the Eagles missed Jalen Hurts in Washington due to a concussion.
If the Commanders indeed make the Super Bowl, Daniels would be the first quarterback in the history of the NFL to lead his team to the big game as a rookie. When asked about this possibility during Wednesday's press conference, he emphasized not getting ahead of himself and taking it day by day.
Trending
"Man. I’m not even thinking that far. It would obviously be a blessing but I’m just focused on how can I be better day by day," Daniels said.
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
There have been five quarterbacks who have started a conference championship game during his rookie season in the history of the league. Daniels will officially be the sixth:
- Shaun King (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1999)
- Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers, 2004)
- Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens, 2008)
- Mark Sanchez (New York Jets, 2009)
- Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers, 2022)
Jayden Daniels has a lower cost to his team than any of the four quarterbacks in the conference championship
It's impressive to see such growth from a young quarterback who is only "young on his birth certificate" according to Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. But the fact that he's still on his rookie deal makes it even more impressive.
His cap hit of just 2.69% is the lowest of all the four quarterbacks playing on Sunday. Jalen Hurts, from the Eagles, has a 5.31% cap hit; Josh Allen takes up 11.89% of the Buffalo Bills salary cap, while Patrick Mahomes has the highest cap hit with 14.49% in the Kansas City Chiefs' payroll.
Jayden's numbers are lower than the rest of the quarterbacks because he's still on his rookie deal which has a ceiling on what the Commanders could have offered him. To do it all in his first season in the NFL is truly impressive.
