Dan Quinn: I Don't Want Jayden Daniels 'Feeling Any Ghosts' of Commanders' Past at QB

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn doesn't want rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels putting the burden of past failures at the position within the organization on his shoulders.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Quinn said: "I definitely understand our fan base has been waiting for the franchise QB, but I also don't want Jayden feeling any ghosts, making sure he understands there's only one name on the back of that jersey and that's for him."

Coming off the best performance of his young NFL career, Daniels is being viewed as the franchise quarterback the Commanders have so desperately been searching for for decades at this point.

Over the past 31 seasons, Washington has only made six playoff appearances, and it hasn't made it past the NFC Divisional Round during that time.

Quarterback play is a big reason for the organization's shortcomings, as Kirk Cousins is the only quarterback to have led Washington in passing for more than three consecutive years in the past three decades.

Mark Rypien, who led the team in passing in five straight seasons from 1989 to 1993, was the last Washington quarterback to take the team to the playoffs in consecutive seasons, doing so in three straight years from 1990 to 1992.

Rypien is also the last quarterback to lead Washington to a Super Bowl appearance and win, accomplishing the feat in 1991.

While there is a long way to go, Daniels feels like he may finally be the quarterback who can get the Commanders out of the doldrums and make them contenders again.

The rookie No. 2 overall pick and 2023 Heisman Trophy winner is off to an immaculate start, completing a league-best 80.3 percent of his passes for 664 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, while also rushing for 171 yards and three scores for a Commanders team off to a surprising 2-1 record.

Daniels' true breakout occurred in a 38-33 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football this week, as he set the single-game record for completion percentage by a rookie who attempted at least 20 passes, completing 91.3 percent of them.

Per ESPN's John Keim, Daniels also became the first quarterback since at least 1950 to throw for at least 250 yards and more than one touchdown, while also rushing for a touchdown and completing at least 90 percent of his passes in a single game.

After witnessing his young quarterback's performance under the bright lights, Quinn was effusive in his praise of Daniels, but also careful not to compare him to past Commanders quarterbacks, saying: "I don't want to compare him to anybody but him because he's still growing, and quite honestly, I can't wait to see who he's becoming. He had a remarkable game, and I was really, really proud of him."

Prior to Daniels' arrival, the Commanders started 12 different quarterbacks since Cousins left the organization in free agency following the 2017 season.

They finally seem to have some stability under center with Daniels, but it is clear that Quinn doesn't want to count his proverbial chickens before they hatch, nor does he want the Commanders' past to influence their present.

Daniels' next opportunity to prove he is the real deal will come Sunday when the Commanders face the Arizona Cardinals in a road matchup.