Last season was very difficult for Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who was recently praised by future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady. After having an impressive rookie season in 2024 including an Offensive Rookie of the Year win, Daniels had a dismal 2025 season. The young Commanders QB, who is set to appear in Season 3 of the Netflix series “QB,” appeared in only seven games the entire season while dealing with nagging knee, hamstring and elbow injuries.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels on Difficult 2025: “It Left a Bitter Taste In My Mouth”
In a recent discussion with ESPN’s John Keim, Daniels reflected on how difficult the 2025 season was for him.
“It left a bitter taste in my mouth,” Daniels said after last season. “I mean, it sucked. … [It was] a miserable feeling to not go out and do what I do on a daily basis and having setbacks.”
Daniels Feels Like He Has More to Prove
“If you don’t feel you have something to prove then you shouldn’t be in this profession,” Daniels told Keim.
Daniels seems to have a bit of a chip on his shoulder after this past season, as revealed by Brandon Aiyuk. The young Commanders QB has the right mindset going into the 2026 season. He easily could have blamed injuries and rested on his rookie season accomplishments. It is evident he feels he still has a lot to prove heading into his third season with Washington. The last thing the Commanders need is a quarterback who is complacent coming off of a few injuries. Daniels has the right mentality heading into 2026.
Commanders QB Loves the New Offensive System Put in Place
To make his return slightly more difficult, Washington hired a new offensive coordinator in David Blough which means Daniels has to learn an entirely different scheme. According to the Commanders QB, he likes what he sees in Blough so far.
“I love the offense, I love what Blough is doing,” Daniels said, “love how he’s creating and designing different things. It’s awesome to see his creative mind; we’re building this thing together.”
Daniels to Play More Under Center in 2026
With the new offensive system in place, Daniels will be playing under center more often than before. Throughout his time playing in college at Louisiana State University and during his first two seasons with the Commanders, Daniels has primarily played out of the shotgun formation. According to Commanders offensive linemen Sam Cosmi, so far the young Commanders QB has been doing a phenomenal job learning the new system.
“He’s been studying it the whole offseason, you can tell,” guard Sam Cosmi told Keim. “They’ve done a good job building his confidence to help our confidence learning this offseason. He has full range of everything. They’re giving him more on his plate when it comes to the mental aspect, but he’s doing a phenomenal job.”
Daniels is Preparing for Defining Season in Washington
For Daniels, the 2026 season feels less like a fresh start and more like a response to everything that went wrong a year ago. The injuries and the frustration that came with it. While he could easily use the new offensive system as an excuse, it seems that the young Commanders QB is embracing the challenge rather being intimidated by it.
If Daniels successfully takes the next step mentally while staying healthy physically, the Commanders may finally have the kind of offense capable of turning potential into something far more dangerous. His ability to bounce back will be tested early in a Week 1 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC East showdown.
Main Photo Courtesy of Brad Rempel – Imagn Images
