Jay Cool

I am famously a former fan of the Washington football franchise. [Did he say famously? Forget it, he's rolling.] Even went a couple of seasons without watching more than a handful of NFL games. But while I'm not likely to return to rooting for an NFL franchise, a confluence of factors have me at least interested in the league more than I have been in recent years.

Obviously, the departure of the odious Dan Snyder and the Pigpen-esque cloud of scum that hung over everything he touched was a significant event as it relates to my feelings about the local franchise. And my family-driven affinity for the University of Colorado's football program brought the game closer to the top of my rooting mind.

But of late, there's something else that's captured my interest and attention. I think Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels might just be the coolest player we've ever seen. I don't mean "cool" in the Joe Namath, Joe Burrow, Clyde Frazier sense, though he's got some of that. I'm talking more about the way Daniels' makes every move look unhurried, effortless, and controlled. Smooooth. Extra o's intentional and obvious. Nineteen games into his NFL career, and dude is out here with a heart rate lower than a Florida iguana, current state.

He doesn't just look the part, he's putting up plaid numbers. In the history of the NFL, rookie starting quarterbacks have recorded three games where their team had no turnovers and no punts. All three of those games happened for the Commanders this season. Those three games engineered by Daniels are more than Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, and Patrick Mahomes have tallied combined in their careers.

Daniels' 891 yards rushing are the most ever by a rookie quarterback, and his 69.0% (nice) completion percentage is also tops amongst rookies all time. He recently surpassed Andrew Luck's mark for the most total yards in a season by a rookie, playoffs included. He's completed more postseason passes than any rookie in history, and he's six yards short of the rookie playoff record in that category. His back to back games completing more than 85% of his passes in weeks three and four of the season marked the first time any passer had ever done so. In the first four games of his career, he set an NFL record for highest completion percentage over that span - for everyone, not for rookies. I could go on, but Fairbank has commandeered all of the research interns.

Jayden Daniels has the makings.

So consider me a fan. Of the man. I think the Iggles have too much for Washington this afternoon, and I placed a wager to that effect. But it wouldn't break my heart to lose that bet if it means Jayden Daniels becomes the first rookie quarterback ever lead his team to the Super Bowl.