Quarterback Jayden Daniels was preparing for the NFL draft this time last year. Now, he’s on the doorstep of the Super Bowl.
The No. 2 overall pick has taken a Washington Commanders team that finished 4-13 last season to the franchise’s first NFC Championship Game since its 1991-92 Super Bowl campaign.
The wild-card Commanders entered the playoffs as the NFC’s No. 6 seed following a 12-5 regular season. Daniels and Co. first outlasted the No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 on Wild Card Weekend before stunning the top-seeded Detroit Lions 45-31 in the Divisional Round.
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Up next for Washington is an NFC East showdown against the No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles in the conference championship, with a trip to Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans on the line. And Daniels will join rare company when he leads out the Commanders’ offense at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
How many rookie quarterbacks have started in a conference championship game?
Daniels will become just the sixth rookie quarterback to start a conference championship since the NFL merger, according to Fox Sports. Here are the five previous quarterbacks to do so, with Brock Purdy in 2022-23 (2022 season, 2023 playoffs) being the most recent:
- Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers: Vs. Philadelphia Eagles in 2022-23
- Mark Sanchez, New York Jets: Vs. Indianapolis Colts in 2009-10
- Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens: Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008-09
- Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers: Vs. New England Patriots in 2004-05
- Shaun King, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vs. St. Louis Rams in 1999-2000
How many rookie quarterbacks have started in, won a Super Bowl?
All five of those quarterbacks suffered conference championship game losses. So, Daniels has a chance to become the first rookie QB to ever start in a Super Bowl.
Who’s the youngest quarterback to start in a Super Bowl?
Dan Marino is the youngest quarterback to ever start in a Super Bowl, doing so with the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl 19 at 23 years, four months and five days old.
Ben Roethlisberger is the only other QB to ever start in a Super Bowl at age 23. The Steelers legend started in Super Bowl 40 at 23 years, 11 months and three days old. Roethlisberger's Super Bowl appearance immediately followed his AFC title game start as a rookie.
Who’s the youngest quarterback to win the Super Bowl?
When the Steelers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 40, Roethlisberger became the youngest starting signal-caller to ever capture the Lombardi Trophy.
How old is Jayden Daniels?
Daniels just turned 24 last month on Dec. 18. Should Washington beat Philadelphia, Daniels would be just under 24 years and two months old come Super Bowl Sunday, making him one of the youngest QBs to ever start in the Big Game.