Jayden Daniels lived in Joe Burrow’s shadow. Now he’s challenging him.
September 23, 2024
Jayden Daniels lived in Joe Burrow’s shadow. Now he’s challenging him.
3 comments
When Jayden Daniels is asked about the pressures and expectations of being an NFL franchise quarterback, he usually starts his answer by grinning knowingly.
These people, he seems to think, don’t know what it was like in Baton Rouge, where LSU football is close to a religion and he had to follow a god.
“The fans were very spoiled with what Joe [Burrow] did and the great year he had — national champions, Heisman, all the accolades,” Daniels said. “They were looking for the next [great quarterback]. To be able to go through that [scrutiny] my first year — I played really well my first year, and it still wasn’t enough for the fans. … Coming after Joe, it was not easy at all, man. Not at all.”
The relationship between the quarterbacks, as Daniels describes it, is cordial but not super close. (They did not overlap at LSU.) They text sometimes; Burrow wished him good luck before training camp. Daniels was not surprised by Burrow’s bleach-blond buzz cut: “That’s just who he is,” Daniels said, laughing. “He will keep everybody on their toes. But he stays true to himself.”
It’s clear Daniels feels competitive with Burrow. In an interview during training camp, Daniels acknowledged the 2019 superstar trio — Burrow and wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase — won the national title. But Daniels suggested that didn’t mean they were better than the 2023 trio of him and wideouts Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.
“I think, in our 12 games last year, we had better numbers than them,” Daniels said, pointing out that the 2019 team “went bananas” in the playoff — and tactfully leaving unsaid that the 2023 squad missed the playoff through no fault of his own. An underperforming defense held back the nation’s best offense as the Tigers finished the regular season 9-3.
Burrow’s accomplishments may have loomed large for Daniels in part because he wasn’t used to such lofty expectations. Growing up, Daniels heard [the tales of his star father](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/09/06/jayden-daniels-commanders-qb/?itid=lk_inline_manual_17), but because Javon Daniels played running back and defensive back, there were few direct comparisons. And Daniels went to Cajon High in San Bernardino, Calif., which isn’t a national power; he helped the program win its first championship in 30 years.
At Arizona State, Daniels followed good quarterbacks, such as Danny White (in the 1970s), Jake Plummer (1990s) and Brock Osweiler (who starred in 2011). But none won the Heisman, shattered records or made a football-crazed region fall in love. When Burrow wore the “Burreaux” jersey, Tiger Stadium — the seventh-largest stadium in the world — gave him a thundering ovation.
3 comments
When Jayden Daniels is asked about the pressures and expectations of being an NFL franchise quarterback, he usually starts his answer by grinning knowingly.
These people, he seems to think, don’t know what it was like in Baton Rouge, where LSU football is close to a religion and he had to follow a god.
“The fans were very spoiled with what Joe [Burrow] did and the great year he had — national champions, Heisman, all the accolades,” Daniels said. “They were looking for the next [great quarterback]. To be able to go through that [scrutiny] my first year — I played really well my first year, and it still wasn’t enough for the fans. … Coming after Joe, it was not easy at all, man. Not at all.”
The relationship between the quarterbacks, as Daniels describes it, is cordial but not super close. (They did not overlap at LSU.) They text sometimes; Burrow wished him good luck before training camp. Daniels was not surprised by Burrow’s bleach-blond buzz cut: “That’s just who he is,” Daniels said, laughing. “He will keep everybody on their toes. But he stays true to himself.”
Last season, Daniels emerged from Burrow’s shadow by [winning a Heisman Trophy of his own](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/12/09/who-will-win-heisman-trophy/?itid=lk_inline_manual_10). His first chance to challenge his fellow LSU legend comes on a national stage Monday night, when his Washington Commanders (1-1) will be big underdogs at the Cincinnati Bengals (0-2).
It’s clear Daniels feels competitive with Burrow. In an interview during training camp, Daniels acknowledged the 2019 superstar trio — Burrow and wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase — won the national title. But Daniels suggested that didn’t mean they were better than the 2023 trio of him and wideouts Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.
“I think, in our 12 games last year, we had better numbers than them,” Daniels said, pointing out that the 2019 team “went bananas” in the playoff — and tactfully leaving unsaid that the 2023 squad missed the playoff through no fault of his own. An underperforming defense held back the nation’s best offense as the Tigers finished the regular season 9-3.
Burrow’s accomplishments may have loomed large for Daniels in part because he wasn’t used to such lofty expectations. Growing up, Daniels heard [the tales of his star father](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/09/06/jayden-daniels-commanders-qb/?itid=lk_inline_manual_17), but because Javon Daniels played running back and defensive back, there were few direct comparisons. And Daniels went to Cajon High in San Bernardino, Calif., which isn’t a national power; he helped the program win its first championship in 30 years.
At Arizona State, Daniels followed good quarterbacks, such as Danny White (in the 1970s), Jake Plummer (1990s) and Brock Osweiler (who starred in 2011). But none won the Heisman, shattered records or made a football-crazed region fall in love. When Burrow wore the “Burreaux” jersey, Tiger Stadium — the seventh-largest stadium in the world — gave him a thundering ovation.
Read more here: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/09/20/joe-burrow-jayden-daniels/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/09/20/joe-burrow-jayden-daniels/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com)
I so hope we win tonight, at least hoping for it to be exciting
Ground and pound boys! The bengals are all already household names. Someone on Washington needs make a name for themselves tonight!