ASHBURN, Va. -- For Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, the season isn't about reminding everyone what he can do. It's not about reestablishing himself among his draft class. Nor is it about proving anyone wrong. Rather, it's just about being on the field and doing what he knows he can do. "I've just got to go out and ... be myself," Daniels said.
And heading into the season opener at 4:25 p.m. Sunday at Philadelphia (on Fox), the Commanders believe, once again, that will be good enough. When Daniels could be himself in 2024, he led Washington to the NFC Championship Game before losing to the Eagles.
"He can make any throw and put the ball anywhere and stretch the field for sure," Washington receiver Stefon Diggs said. "He's a young quarterback, but he's a star. He showed in this league he can play at a high level."
Last season he played only four full games because of injuries. Washington's 5-12 finish led to questions about Daniels and the organization.
Meanwhile, he watched his fellow 2024 draft class quarterbacks shine. Drake Maye played in the Super Bowl; Bo Nix helped Denver reach the AFC Championship Game before getting hurt, and Caleb Williams guided Chicago to an 11-6 record and the divisional round.
But that's not his motivator.
"I'm happy for them," Daniels said. "We're all chasing a common goal and obviously you want to be the best, you want to win the Super Bowl, and I'm not rooting for them to do bad.
"There's a lot of stuff that's said of other people in my class and they should get that respect that they earned also. It was a different narrative our rookie year. So every year it's just going to be a flip-flop narrative and we're always going to get compared with each other, especially the top three picks."
All three of those quarterbacks were starring when Daniels was sidelined for the season with a dislocated left elbow. He last played in Washington's 31-0 loss to Minnesota on Dec. 7, 2025, reinjuring his elbow while attempting to make a tackle after throwing a third-quarter interception. With a 3-10 record after that game, and knowing he had injured that elbow initially in Week 9, the Commanders shut him down. But it's led to a long wait for his return.
"I'm excited for everyone to see him again," offensive coordinator David Blough said.
But reminding others of his talent doesn't push Daniels either. He knows what happened as a rookie and what transpired in 2025 doesn't matter anymore.
"That's what people are going to talk about -- recency biases and all that," he said. "Now we're on to year three. Whatever happens on Sunday, that's what people are going to talk about more than what they talk about year two."
Because of that mindset, he's just doing what he's done in previous years.
As a rookie, Daniels showed up to spring workouts around 5:45 a.m. During the season he'd arrive at 5:30 for a walk-through with just coaches a half hour later. At the time, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury would marvel at how Daniels recalled the game plan on Wednesday, having just received it a day earlier.
That routine hasn't changed -- though Daniels did add weekly film sessions with his receivers in the spring.
"He's very internally motivated and he's been that way ever since he's been here," Blough said.
All of this is why he was elected as one of five captains for the season.
But, aside from that, Daniels also had arguably his best training camp of his first three seasons. At one point in August, Blough said Daniels was as "accurate as he's ever been." It wasn't just about completing passes, it was about leading receivers into yards after the catch and throwing passes away from danger -- like an incoming defender.
"His touch on the deep ball has been great," receiver Terry McLaurin said. "He's always thrown a nice deep ball, but the air he's allowing us to track the ball makes a huge difference for us. His anticipation has been great. His ability to put the ball on the front [shoulder] pad when running crossing routes and we're running away from him. It's hard to gauge every receiver's speed but he gives you a good chance to catch and run."
"Just the efficiency offensively, the ability for explosive plays," Washington coach Dan Quinn said. "There's certainly going to be some growing as the season goes, new players and playcaller and system. He's in a good place with the system. He's a decisive thinker. You know how important that is. He's able to think quickly, process quickly. That's why he's able to get rid of the ball to the right location, to the right target of where it's going to go."
Daniels developed a quick connection with Diggs, hooking up for a touchdown in a joint practice vs. Miami and a back-shoulder pass a week after the wideout was signed.
The coaches liked that Daniels displayed a comfort level in Blough's offense, which requires him to call plays in the huddle for the first time in his NFL career. When listening to audio from practices, the coaches heard Daniels provide extra details to linemen or receivers about what to expect from the defense, and give little reminders on what to do.
"It's his command of everything," McLaurin said. "Blough giving him keys to get us in the right play. It takes a lot of cerebral ability to not only know what the defense is giving you but then getting you in the right play and communicating it to the offense."
Washington is betting this offense -- which will put Daniels under center more and emphasize play-action -- will result in Daniels' evolving as a quarterback. They also say it will lead to more explosive plays.
But until the season begins, the focus with Daniels will involve questions. However, Daniels hasn't been deterred by anything said about him.
"Everybody has an opinion, no matter whether it's good or bad," he said. "It's nothing I can really control. The only thing that matters to me is the people inside that building, my family.
"Never get too high, never get too low, try to stay even-keeled. They're going to talk about you regardless, good or bad."