The Washington Commanders' 2025 season didn't go the way anybody had envisioned, and the biggest reason for that cannot be overlooked. It was because quarterback Jayden Daniels played just seven games and finished only four.
After leading Washington to the NFC Championship during his electric 2024 rookie campaign, the sophomore slump narrative proved to be all too real. Even when he was healthy, Daniels wasn't the same guy. But he is far from a lost cause.
Under a new offensive coordinator in David Blough, there is plenty of bounce-back potential for Daniels in Year 3. And one of his veteran teammates can explain exactly why.
Von Miller saw how special Jayden Daniels is with the Commanders in 2025
Von Miller has been around the NFL a long time, but he hasn't played with many quarterbacks like Daniels. In only one year in Washington, he learned a lot about his star passer and was awed by his leadership.
"He just has that confidence. The game is never too big for him, never too small for him. ... Has some great traits of the late Kobe Bryant. That's the type of personality you want with your quarterback."
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 3, 2026
Von Miller on Jayden Daniels' energy in the locker room 🏈
(via… pic.twitter.com/dPVtDgeP6h
Throughout his AP Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, this was the consensus around Daniels. He just makes the game look so easy. He has a Patrick Mahomes-esque unspoken swagger that completely changes the vibe whenever he's on the field, making you feel comfortable knowing he's the one at the controls.
Time and time again in 2024, Daniels was calm, cool, and collected in the clutch. He went into multiple road venues during the playoffs and played flawless football in high-stakes moments. Pressure does not register with him. He locks in and does his thing as if it might as well be a casual game of catch at the park.
Of course, the best ability is availability. All the talk about how cold-blooded Daniels is means nothing if he's not on the field, or if he's playing at less than 100 percent as he was for his last several appearances in 2025. But injuries happen. They're part of football. The great ones find a way to overcome them.
No one in Washington should doubt Daniels' ability to come back stronger next season. The sunshine and rainbows of the season before last were never going to last forever, as everybody runs into their rude awakening at some point or another. But when you're a ruthless competitor like the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, you don't let anything keep you down for long.
It's going to be a torturous offseason for Daniels as he itches to get back on the field. And it's going to inspire him to remind everybody who he is.