Jalon Daniels turned Thursday night into the kind of moment quarterbacks dream about.
With Baker Mayfield out again, the rookie stepped in for the second time and helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers knock off the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 at AT&T Stadium, giving Tampa Bay its first win after an 0-4 start. Daniels finished 19-of-25 for 189 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, and he added seven carries for 23 yards.
The night got even more personal after the game. In his postgame interview, the 23-year-old asked his mother to come join him, and the two shared an emotional exchange on camera.
“It is indescribable. This moment is so big.
I'm speechless. I'm so proud of you.
This is amazing,” beamed Star Daniels.
Daniels has become one of the league’s early feel-good stories. He made the Buccaneers as an undrafted player in April after spending five years at Kansas, trying to get enough NFL attention to earn this chance.
#Bucs QB Jalon Daniels had his mom join him for his postgame interview:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 9, 2026
Jalon: “Ma, come here. Ma, come here.”
Mom: “This moment is so big. I’m speechless. I’m so proud of you.” ❤️
(📽️ @NFLonPrime)pic.twitter.com/aB2Cftmyx0 https://t.co/YwzwQ3QmxZ
Todd Bowles has kept giving him the opportunity, and Daniels is set to keep running with it for now. Mayfield is expected back in Week 7, but first Tampa Bay faces the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6, a matchup that will put Daniels against Aaron Rodgers.
Daniels’ first start in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers was rougher. Still, he didn’t flinch afterward.
“Everything you go through is built to make you stronger for every situation that happens. So there's a lot of learning lessons I'll be able to take from today, and I'm going to be better from that,” said the upstart signal-caller.
On Thursday, he backed that up. The performance was sharper, the win was real, and sharing it with his mother made the whole thing hit even harder.
In Other News...
Todd Bowles Had A Sideline Scare During Bucs' First Win
The Buccaneers first win of the season came with a brief sideline scare for Todd Bowles, who was caught up in the kind of post-play celebration that can get chaotic in a hurry. Late in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys, Tampa Bay was erupting after an interception and a run by Buccaneers players when Bowles took a shot in the stomach from a helmet, turning a moment of relief into a few tense seconds on the sideline.
Bowles was seen grimacing and dropping to one knee before being reported as okay shortly after, which allowed the focus to shift back to a much-needed victory. The incident was part of the emotional release that followed the play, though reports did not identify which player made the celebratory contact. [Read more 🡒]
Dak Prescott's Postgame Frustration Has Cowboys Fans Debating This Team
The Cowboys left Thursday night with another loss, and the postgame mood around AT&T Stadium turned testy almost immediately. Dallas dropped to 2-3 after falling to the Buccaneers, and what should have been a straightforward reaction to a rough defeat quickly shifted when Dak Prescott took issue with a stadium workers comment about the result being embarrassing.
Prescott made clear he can live with blunt criticism, but he was bothered by the way the exchange unfolded after he noticed the comment. For Tampa Bay, it was the kind of road win that does more than add to the standings, because it also leaves the opponent sorting through frustration, accountability and a little bit of drama long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Bowles Sideline Scare Added Tension To A Much-Needed Bucs Win
The Buccaneers finally got the result they needed, beating the Cowboys 24-16 for their first win of the season behind rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels. It was a much-needed lift for a team that had spent the first month looking for something to stabilize around, and getting to 1-4 at least gives Tampa Bay a little breathing room heading into next weeks matchup with the Steelers.
The win came with a brief scare on the sideline when Todd Bowles was seen down on one knee and appeared to be dealing with discomfort before getting back up and saying he would be okay. For a team already trying to find its footing, even a moment like that can add tension to an afternoon that should have been about relief, and it only underscored how much the Bucs needed a cleaner, calmer path to their first victory. [Read more 🡒]