Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn didn’t bite when asked about the noise surrounding Jayden Daniels and LSU.
Instead, Quinn steered straight back to football.
“Man is he having a great camp. The things I see are quintessential Jayden in terms of the camp. Nice to see the connection with Stef…[Daniels] has been great inside the building,” he said, per John Keim of ESPN on X, formerly Twitter.
Keim also reported that “Quinn said he hasn't paid much attention to the Daniels/LSU saga.”
That saga has been a loud one. Daniels sent a cease-and-desist letter to LSU last week after the program allowed another player to wear his number five jersey, and the backlash has fallen heavily on him. The reaction has turned Daniels into an easy target for mockery, with plenty of the criticism aimed directly at the quarterback.
The timing isn’t ideal for Daniels, either. His public image had been soaring after his outstanding rookie season with Washington two years ago, but that has shifted sharply.
He’s coming off an injury-riddled second year, and the LSU situation has brought accusations that he’s acting like a diva. There are also questions about how much of the move came from Daniels himself and how much was driven by his mother, who has also taken a hit in the court of public opinion.
For Washington, the cleanest answer is the one Quinn offered: keep the focus on camp, and let Daniels do the talking on the field.
The Commanders are trying to bounce back from a frustrating 2025 season and will open their new year on September 13 with a road game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
In Other News...
Dan Quinn Just Raised A Real Concern About Trey Amos
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With Amos still working through rehab and no timetable yet for his return, Washington has already moved to shore up the position by adding veteran Rasul Douglas for depth. For a defense that wants to keep its cornerback rotation steady, the situation now becomes as much about patience as it is about personnel. [Read more 🡒]
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Afterward, Dan Quinn made sure to highlight the first-game work of new coordinators David Blough and Daronte Jones, a notable early marker for a staff that is still getting settled into game-week rhythm. Preseason results are never the whole story, but Quinns tone suggested the Commanders liked what they saw from the way the operation functioned, especially with the defense already giving them reasons to feel encouraged. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Defense Just Gave Fans A Reason To Believe Again
The first look at Washingtons defense under new coordinator Daronte Jones came with a familiar preseason warning label, but it still offered something the Commanders have been waiting to see. After Miami opened with a touchdown on its first series against the starting unit, Washington settled in and clamped down once the sides were on more equal footing, while also flashing the kind of playmaking that can change the mood around a defense in a hurry.
Quan Martin, Ale Kaho and Malik Spencer each came away with interceptions in the preseason opener, and the earlier joint practice reports added to the sense that the starting defense had been giving the Dolphins offense real trouble. It is still August, and the next test will matter more than one strong night, but for a fan base looking for any sign of a cleaner, sharper identity, this was the kind of outing that makes people look twice. [Read more 🡒]