The Washington Commanders have been out of action for six weeks, and the NFL is firmly in its lull before the NFL Scouting Combine and free agency. However, fans were triggered by a story that warrants further discussion.
Nothing could go right for Washington in a 5-12 campaign riddled with injuries and regression from those who led the Commanders to the NFC Championship game. Quarterback Jayden Daniels was at the center of all the drama, appearing in just seven games and finishing only four.
Now, Daniels is making headlines off the field for committing a big no-no with the Commanders' fan base with his comments about one of their biggest rivals.
Commanders fans are reading the wrong thing into Jayden Daniels' praise for the Eagles
But everybody needs to chill out. It might even do Washington good to take inspiration from what he's trying to say.
"I love Eagles fans. They just embody what Philly brings. To be able to go out there and play against them... Their environment is kind of like the closest thing you can get to a college environment."Jayden Daniels via Yardbarker
That was what Washington's quarterback said about the Philadelphia Eagles and their fans. And while it might seem like an affirmation of dominance in the rivalry, it's really the exact opposite.
Sometimes, the best way to resist a bully is to show them respect. They want you to hate them. They want you to think they're mean and nasty, and they want you to be bitter and cry about it like a whiny little victim. Sadly for the Eagles, Daniels is no victim.
He doesn't let fans like the Eagles live in his head. Instead, they motivate him to show out.
When he last faced off against them in the NFC Championship game, he gave Washington a chance until fumbles by his supporting cast became too much to overcome. Late in the 2024 season, Daniels led the Commanders to a Week 16 home win in the final moments, in front of all the green-clad diehards who love turning out in numbers at Northwest Stadium.
Reading Daniels' comments, the implication is that it would be great if Commanders fans could be like Philadelphia's. The type of supporters who show up through thick and thin, who mercilessly invade their rivals' home fields, who could go 0-17 and think they're winning the Super Bowl.
The harsh truth about the culture change Washington has tried to implement ever since Josh Harris's purchase of the team is that the fans need to do their part to make it work. Yet the loser mentality of the Dan Snyder era still hasn't been washed away in Washington.
It took one year after the franchise's best season in a quarter of a century before Landover was overrun with opposing colors again. Daniels wants that to change, and Commanders fans need to pay attention to his message.
When your starting quarterback praises a hated division rival, the response shouldn't be "How DARE he say nice things about them!" Instead, it should be: "Why can't that be us?"