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Jayden Daniels speaks on Kliff Kingsbury and 'rebuilding' himself
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- Jayden Daniels speaks on Kliff Kingsbury and 'rebuilding' himself
Now that the Washington Commanders ' 2025 campaign has officially come to a close, the offseason is set to bring a multitude of changes, from players to coaches.
While it is expected that Washington will not retain defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., it is also possible that offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will field head-coaching interviews from other franchises around the league.
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Kingsbury built a reputation for developing talented quarterbacks, including Kyler Murray at Oklahoma, Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech and Caleb Williams at USC.
Oct 15, 2016; Lubbock, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Kliff Kingsbury and quarterback Patrick Mahomes (5) watch a replay on the video board during the game with the West Virginia Mountaineers at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Now, for the past two seasons, his primary role outside of navigating the Commanders ' offense is to develop quarterback Jayden Daniels , who led Washington to the 2025 NFC Championship, and was the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year.
"I love working with Kliff," Daniels said. "Me and him have a special relationship. We have kind of built that over the past two years."
In Daniels' two seasons with Washington under Kingsbury, he has played in 24 games, thrown for 4,830 yards, 33 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, while rushing for 1,169 yards and eight touchdowns.
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After being drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in 2024, Daniels started all 17 games of his rookie campaign and threw for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while completing 69 percent of his 480 attempts. He rushed for nearly 1,000 yards (891) and six touchdowns, bringing his total to 31 in 2024, which set a new franchise record.
His dual-threat ability has been the backbone of the Commanders' offense. It forces defenses to respect not only his arm strength but also his running ability, which helped him bring home the Heisman Trophy at LSU in 2023.
Yet his ability as a runner has also landed him in injury trouble. It was a concern when he entered the league that his reckless scrambling out of the pocket could lead to serious injury, and in Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks , that became reality.
Daniels scrambled out of the backfield late in the fourth quarter of Washington's 38-14 loss, as he attempted to make a run for the end zone. As he was tackled, his non-throwing arm bent awkwardly as he was brought down near Seattle's goal line, and it sidelined him for nearly a month before he returned in early Week 15 against the Minnesota Vikings .
However, he re-aggravated his injury after he threw an interception and was thrown to the ground by a block from a Vikings defender. He again landed awkwardly on his arm and was forced to miss the remainder of not only the game but the rest of the season.
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"I wish I was out there more to play for him this past year," Daniels said. "That is a focus for me this offseason. Just rebuilding myself from the ground up and hopefully go out there. Thats the most important thing; to be available for my team."
When asked about how he could have handled his 2025 season better on Monday, Daniels emphasized that his health is the most important thing and that he feels he let the team down by being sidelined.
"I think I can always grow and mature," Daniels said. "The best ability for myself is availability. If I am not out there, I am kind of hurting the team, and my number one job is to protect the team."
While Kingsbury's future in Washington is uncertain, it seems clear that Daniels would prefer another year with his offensive coordinator, who has already coached some of the more accomplished quarterbacks in the league. Mahomes, Murray, and Williams all fit the same mold as Daniels - a mobile, dual-threat quarterback with a strong arm.
If Kingsbury returns in 2026, he will get a third season to continue helping Daniels develop as a quarterback, as Washington looks to return to the glory of 2024.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels talks Kliff Kingsbury, health
