Jayden Daniels continues to dominate in the playoffs, just as he did during the regular season. This time, in the Divisional Round against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, he once again showed why he’s a frontrunner for the ROY Award, setting a rookie record that will be hard to break.
According to the stats, Daniels is the first rookie in NFL history to record 300+ total yards in two playoff games. In the game against the Lions, he accumulated 299 yards, just shy of Jared Goff’s 313. During the Wild Card against the Buccaneers, he completed 24 of 35 passes for 268 yards, bringing his playoff total to 567 yards so far.
It’s worth noting that Daniels was drafted by the Washington Commanders as a first-round pick in the 2024 draft, and from week one, he began to showcase exceptional talent. This is his first playoff appearance with the franchise, which hadn’t made the postseason since 2020, when he was still at Arizona State.
Daniels’ new record is not the first he has set with the Commanders this year. He now holds 7 rookie records, two of which are exclusive to the franchise: rookie total yards with 4,459 and passing yards with 3,568. One of his most impressive feats is rushing yards in a season, with over 891.
Daniels alongside Brock Purdy and Joe Flacco
Daniels has made such an impact as a rookie that he now shares a special record with 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco for the most playoff wins by a rookie, each with 2 victories. He still has the opportunity to extend the record with a win in the NFC Championship and possibly the Super Bowl.
The Commanders’ next game
Now, the Commanders will face the winner of the Rams vs. Eagles game in the NFC Championship. Both teams are strong, and they are expected to be tough opponents for Daniels. The Commanders lost to Philadelphia 18-26 in Week 11.