Commanders QB Jayden Daniels views 2026 as fresh start 

Jayden Daniels knows the numbers from his second NFL season weren't pretty. He also doesn't sound interested in defending them.

The Washington Commanders quarterback was asked Wednesday during a news conference after practice about his decline against the blitz last season after having considerably more success as a rookie. Daniels pointed to injuries as part of the problem before making it clear he considers the entire discussion old news entering Year 3.

Jayden Daniels is done talking about his 2025 numbers

“I just think I didn't get into a flow, you know, in and out the lineup with injuries,” Daniels said. “But, you know, as for all the analytics people, stats, whatever, it is what it is, man.”

Daniels didn't stop there.

“What I did year one, what I did year two doesn't matter,” Daniels said. “I mean, that's what people are going to talk about. You know, recency bias and all that. Year two is what it is. Now we're on to Year 3.”

That's a bold position for a quarterback coming off a difficult season. Daniels, however, understands how quickly the NFL moves on.

He doesn't have to convince anyone that his 2025 numbers are irrelevant. He can make them irrelevant.

“Whatever happens on Sunday, that's what people are going to talk about more than what they talk about year two,” Daniels said.

Daniels went from playing 17 games in his rookie season to just seven in 2025. In his limited time, the up-and-coming star completed 60.9 percent of his passes, which was down from 69 percent in 2024.

Daniels isn't interested in proving anything

The questions about last season didn't end there.

Daniels was later asked whether he feels any need to remind the football world what he's capable of after an injury-plagued second season. Again, he wasn't biting.

“I just got to go out there and play football and be myself,” Daniels said. “Be the best version of myself for this football team. Be a leader and do whatever it takes to help win the team football games.”

That response fit with how Daniels handled questions about the criticism he's received throughout the offseason.

“I think everybody has an opinion, no matter if it's good or bad,” Daniels said. “It's nothing I could really control. Everybody's going to say something.”

His concern is considerably closer to home.

“The only thing that matters to me is the people inside that building, my family and helping the Washington Commanders win football games and be the best version of myself,” Daniels said.

Daniels isn't asking anyone to rewrite what happened in 2025. His argument is simpler: Last year's numbers don't get to decide what happens next.

If he wants everyone else to stop talking about them, there is one pretty effective solution.

Give them something better to talk about Sunday.