Maybe he's an old soul. Maybe he's secretly 38 with a forged birth certificate. Maybe it's one of those "Heaven Can Wait" deals.
The calm, composed Daniels carries himself that way, as if he's a veteran hardened by years of high pressure NFL situations, even if he's not.
On Sunday Daniels orchestrated yet another comeback stunner this time in the playoffs, as the visiting Commanders prevailed over Tampa Bay 23-20 on a last-second field goal which struck and shuddered against the goal post (doinnnnnnnnk!) before wobbling through for the win.
Call it the Doink Heard 'Round The World-Washington's first playoff victory in almost 20 years (2006).
It's a mighty accomplishment for a former championship franchise which had become a punchline. A dormant, suffering D.C. fan base-not long ago convinced the good old days would never return-is revived. Washington visits top-seeded Detroit next Saturday feeling like a team of destiny.
The man in the middle is Daniels, the lean, soft-spoken, wickedly talented LSU Heisman winner Washington selected with the No.2 pick in the draft last spring.
He's what makes these underdogs go. Versus the Buccaneers, Daniels got key contributions from teammates like receivers Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown; to say nothing of Washington's sturdy defense, which recovered a fourth quarter fumble to set up a go-ahead touchdown.
Still, Washington isn't 13-5can you believe they're 13-5?without Daniels's unrattled ability to deliver in the clutch.
This story is from the January 14, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.
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This story is from the January 14, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.
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