CJ Stroud boldly claims Commanders QB Jayden Daniels’ rookie season is “best of all time”
Texans quarterback CJ Stroud claimed Jayden Daniels' rookie season with the Commanders will go down as the best ever season in NFL history.
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CJ Stroud and Jayden Daniels (Image via IMAGO)
Jayden Daniels may be the best rookie ever to play in the NFL. Daniels led the Washington Commanders to a 45-31 victory against NFC top seed, the Detroit Lions in the Divisional round game, and will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game. This will be the Commanders’ first conference title game since 1991.
Daniels became the first rookie quarterback to reach a conference championship game since Brock Purdy for the San Francisco 49ers in 2022. Yet, analysts and fans would quickly point out that the last pick of the same draft had several All-Pro players on his team helping him in a deep playoff run.
The Commander QB did not have the same luxury. Only edge rusher Montez Sweat made the Pro Bowl in 2023, but he joined the Chicago Bears in the off-season. So basically, Daniels played with a very raw team in transition. More importantly, the franchise switched hands only 12 months prior to Josh Harris, who appointed Dan Quinn (his first head coaching job since the Atlanta Falcons in 2020).
The odds were certainly against Jayden Daniels’ favor and yet he carried the Commanders to a 12-5 finish (second behind the Eagles in the NFC East). Then defeated Baker Mayfield’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild card and then Jared Goff’s Detroit Lions (15-2 in the regular season), setting a fixture against the Eagles for the title of the best NFC team and playing in the Super Bowl in familiar surroundings in New Orleans (Daniels played college football for the LSU Tigers).
That’s probably why Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud believes Daniels’ rookie season will go down as the best ever.
In my opinion, he’s had the best rookie year of all time. I’m very, very, very, very, very, happy for him and proud of him. I don’t root for many other teams, but I’m rooting for my boy, I’m rooting for the Commanders.
CJ Stroud said
C.J. Stroud on Jayden Daniels: "In my opinion he's had the best rookie year of all-time. … I don't root for many other teams, but I'm rooting for my boy. I'm rooting for the Commanders."
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 20, 2025
Respect. pic.twitter.com/HA6RcuIkNI
Jayden Daniels and CJ Stroud’s rookie seasons in numbers
Both Stroud and Daniels were drafted second overall, a year apart. Stroud had a phenomenal rookie year, throwing 319 completions for 4108 yards (273.9 yards per game which was best in the league in 2023), 23 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
23-year-old Stroud holds several franchise and NFL records. He became the youngest starting quarterback to win a playoff game at 22 years, 3 months, and 10 days, most passing attempts without an interception to start a career: 191; most games with at least 350 passing yards by a rookie: 3 (tied); most passing yards in a single game by a rookie: 470 (November 5, 2023, vs. Buccaneers). passing touchdowns in a single game by a rookie: 5 (tied) (November 5, 2023, vs. Buccaneers).
Unlike Stroud, who is more of a pocket passer, Daniels loves to use his feet whenever he sees any opportunity. Daniels completed 331 passes for 3568 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions, along with 148 carries for 891 yards and 6 rushing touchdowns.
Both Stroud and Daniels have 2 postseason wins, but the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner won both in his rookie season while Stroud lost in the divisional round in his first year and again to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024.
Stroud in the playoffs completed 76 passes for 976 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception in 4 total games. Daniels, in two games so far, has thrown 46 completions for 567 yards and four touchdowns.
Related: Jets inching closer to hiring Lions’ DC Aaron Glenn as their next Head Coach
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Ishan Misra
(3057 Articles Published)