Mike Greenberg: Jayden Daniels Is Having NFL's Best Rookie Season Ever
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No superlative feels lofty enough to describe Jayden Daniels' postseason.
The rookie quarterback led the Washington Commanders to a massive second-round upset over the Detroit Lions on Saturday night. Daniels registered 299 passing yards and 51 yards in a 45-31 triumph at Ford Field, punching a ticket to Washington's first NFC Championship Game in 33 years.
On ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, Tedy Bruschi called Daniels "the best rookie quarterback I've ever seen." Mike Greenberg took the accolade one step further.
"As far as Jayden Daniels is concerned, and that really should be the storyline here, we can forget about the conversation about greatest rookie seasons for a quarterback ever," Greenberg said, as transcribed by On3. "If you appreciate the history of the sport – the greatest rookie seasons the league has ever seen are people like Jim Brown, Gale Sayers, Mike Ditka – I think Jayden Daniels goes to No. 1. I think with this win, Jayden Daniels is the greatest rookie the NFL has ever had, and he's one win away now from the Super Bowl."
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Alex Smith said Daniels has looked like "anything but a rookie." Rex Ryan called the neophyte a "killer" after an "unreal" debut. He predicted that Daniels will keep Washington in the playoffs for the next decade.
"Does he have a pulse rate? I don't know," Ryan said. "You just go in, on the road, and playing in that environment. Dude's like, 'Hey, let's go. Oh, it's fourth down. All right.'"
Daniels became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to account for over 300 yards in two playoff games. He's completed 46 of 66 passes for 567 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 116.2 quarterback rating while adding 87 rushing yards in consecutive road triumphs.
Washington has punted one time and allowed one sack during those victories.
Before this playoff run, Daniels likely secured Offensive Rookie of the Year honors with a stellar regular season. The No. 2 pick notched a 100.1 passer rating with 3,568 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. He also ran for more yards (891) than any quarterback besides MVP favorite Lamar Jackson.
It will be much tougher to argue against Greenberg's claim if Daniels leads Washington to the Super Bowl by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles or Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.
Related: NFL Legend Joe Gibbs Reacts To Commanders Upsetting The Lions
