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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5). Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Dan Quinn's 'wolf' comment explains why Commanders QB won't slump

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 10:30 AM ET

Jayden Daniels helped lead the Washington Commanders on a magical trip deep into the NFC Playoffs in his rookie season and set the table for a hype-filled offseason with many looking at the squad as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Still, as there always are, there are detractors who believe a sophomore slump is incoming for the Commanders’ star. Head coach Dan Quinn sat down with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini recently and gave his reasons for why those hoping for a slump are likely to be disappointed.

A 'Wolf in Sheep's Clothing'

“I think that smile is a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Quinn said in the interview, via Sports Illustrated. “He is an absolute dog competitor.”

Cutting through the nice guy facade, Daniels’ demeanor and passion for competition speak for themselves among those who watch him closely. For those who don’t as often, it might come as a surprise that the laid-back California kid burns hot with a desire to win at everything.

A Standard Set in the Dark

Daniels is “very much an early morning person,” according to Quinn. “[He] would rather go through everything before anybody even gets here. Well before the sun comes up, there have been times looking out of the weight room, ‘Who’s walking off the field in the dark?’ It’s him. That’s a standard that other players have also appreciated from him.”

Not only is it a standard they appreciate, it is one they emulate and even compete with. Player after player, we’ve heard from teammates about how Daniels’ efforts to perform better every day help to push them forward in their own endeavors.

Everyone knows the quarterback is the leader of the team. Whether he’s up to the task or not, the quarterback drives the team. Fortunately for Washington, they have one whose quiet demeanor to the outside world makes him likable, and his dedication to his craft makes him someone teammates want to follow. Future Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Wagner, among them.

“They found out that he has got a high capacity to put it in,” Quinn told Russini. “They respect that. Guys like [linebacker Bobby] Wagner who are cut from the same cloth, they have bonded in that space.”

In year two, Daniels is no longer the new guy trying to prove himself to his team. Instead, he’s the unquestioned leader who no longer has to convince anyone to follow him, yet still grinds just as hard as he ever did.

The Ultimate Antidote

If there was ever an approach that would stave off a sophomore slump, it is this one. One based on understanding that last year doesn’t matter. Hell, to hear Daniels speak on it, last week doesn’t even matter, let alone anything further beyond that.

Many will say they live in the moment, be where their feet are, and any other similar cliché. But the truth of the matter is, most don’t actually believe it, and instead lean on their past accomplishments as evidence for what their future will bring.

Not Daniels, and because of it, not the Commanders.