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Jan 26, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (2) hugs Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) after the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Washington Commanders' Jayden Daniels Rookie Season Compared to L.A. Chargers' Justin Herbert

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI
By Charlie Viehl | Last updated Jan 28, 2025 11:06 AM ET

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels led his team to the NFC Championship Game, but their season came to an end after losing 55-23 to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Despite falling short of the team's ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl, Daniels' rookie season might be one of the best of any quarterback. According to FOX Sports, Daniels is the best rookie quarterback of all time, ranking him one spot above former Oregon Ducks and current Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.

Herbert won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020, and Daniels is the betting favorite to win the award after his debut season in 2024.

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Daniels threw 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions, and he added six touchdowns on the ground. The former LSU Tigers quarterback continually posed a rushing threat, and he broke the record for rushing yards by a rookie quarterback with 891.

Washington finished the regular season 12-5, and the Commanders earned themselves a matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card. Daniels and the Commanders upset Tampa Bay and the Detroit Lions on the road to make it to the NFC Championship Game against the Eagles.

Daniels finished the NFC Championship Game with one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown. He completed 60 percent of his passes for 255 yards, tacking on an additional 48 yards on the ground.

The Offensive Rookie of the Year is a regular season award, but Daniels' playoff performances suggest he might be the unanimous winner.

Some of the other nominees in 2024 are Daniels' former teammates at LSU: Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers. Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers round out the rest of the finalists for the award.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert also set records during his rookie season. He was drafted by the Chargers with the expectation of sitting behind quarterback Tyrod Taylor, but Herbert was thrust into game action after Taylor suffered a punctured lung in pregame warmups.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

"No rookie QB has ever performed better in the regular season. He set a record with 31 passing touchdowns, while his 4,336 yards fell just 38 yards short of Andrew Luck's mark. Herbert did all of that in only 15 games," cited FOX Sports.

Los Angeles finished 7-9 in Herbert's rookie season, but the former Oregon Ducks quarterback earned the respect of many around the league.

In 2024, Herbert made the playoffs in his first year under coach Jim Harbaugh, but the Chargers were eliminated in the Wild Card Round by the Houston Texans. In the playoff loss, Herbert threw a career-high four interceptions after throwing only three in the entire regular season.

Other rookie seasons from quarterbacks like Cam Newton, Dan Marino, C.J. Stroud, and more rounded out the top-10 rankings from FOX Sports.