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Commanders' Jayden Daniels Named 'Dark Horse' MVP Candidate

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Adam Schultz | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 8:15 AM ET

Washington Commanders' quarterback Jayden Daniels is already seen as one of the top players in the conference after a superb rookie season.

Jayden led the team to a 12-win season, two playoff wins, and an NFC Championship game in his first year, and he also won Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Now, as we turn to 2025, the Commanders, after trading for Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil, have pushed all their chips into the middle of the Super Bowl table.

Of course, Daniels will be central to any success Washington has in 2025, and for NFL.com's Judy Battista, she's named Jayden as a dark horse for the MVP award.

"He might not even be that much of a dark horse," Battista writes. "Daniels got a handful of fourth- and fifth-place votes last season, in which he was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year. With an improved offensive line, the addition of Deebo Samuel and a year of NFL experience under his belt, Daniels is positioned to ascend to the top tier of quarterbacks. If he does, and if the Commanders make another playoff push, Daniels will get plenty of attention."

It is no secret that if the Commanders have a good season, Daniels will be the reason why.

Granted, we know that success from one year to another isn't the same, and Houston Texans star C.J. Stroud is proof of that, but Daniels does have a good supporting cast around him, with most of last year's players returning.

But as far as MVP talk, when going up against Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow, it seems like a tall order. However, after his exploits in his rookie season, Daniels might be able to prove he deserves to be in the same conversation as those mentioned above.

Would Daniels really be a dark horse for MVP?

For some, he might have a legitimate shot.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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