The 2025 season was supposed to be a continuation of the Jayden Daniels breakout story. Instead, it turned into a frustrating detour for both the young quarterback and the Washington Commanders.
After a dazzling rookie campaign that saw Washington win 12 games and make a run to the NFC Championship, expectations were sky-high for Daniels and the franchise heading into Year 2. But the season quickly unraveled. The Commanders stumbled to a 5-12 finish, and Daniels, hampered by a string of injuries, appeared in just seven games-and only finished four of them.
Naturally, when a season goes sideways like that, fingers start pointing. One of the most prominent targets?
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. By season’s end, Washington and Kingsbury had officially parted ways, reportedly due to philosophical differences.
In his place, the team promoted David Blough, a coach with no NFL play-calling experience. It’s a bold move, especially when you're trying to develop a young franchise quarterback.
For Daniels, the coaching change was personal. He and Kingsbury had built a strong connection during his rookie year, and losing that continuity clearly stung. During Super Bowl week media availability, Daniels acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, calling it “tough” but expressing trust in the organization’s decision and optimism about working with Blough.
That didn’t stop the speculation machine from firing up. On 106.7 The Fan’s The Sports Junkies, hosts floated the idea that Daniels might feel responsible for Kingsbury’s exit. But let’s pump the brakes on that narrative.
Daniels gave a measured, mature response-exactly what you’d expect from a young leader navigating adversity. He didn’t throw anyone under the bus, nor did he deflect blame. But let’s be clear: Daniels shouldn’t shoulder the fallout from a season derailed by injury and inconsistent offensive execution.
Yes, he’ll be the first to admit he has areas to improve. That’s part of the growth curve for any young QB.
But it’s hard to pin the team’s offensive struggles on a guy who barely had the chance to stay on the field. Injuries limited his ability to build rhythm, timing, and chemistry with his receivers-and that’s before even getting into the systemic issues that plagued Washington’s offense.
Kingsbury’s system, which initially helped unlock Daniels’ playmaking potential, started to look stale in Year 2. The run game was often an afterthought, which left Daniels exposed far too often.
The offense struggled to create separation downfield, and the situational play-calling left a lot to be desired. That’s not on Daniels.
That’s on the system.
Now, with Blough stepping into the offensive coordinator role, the focus shifts to building a scheme that protects Daniels and plays to his strengths-his mobility, his deep ball, his ability to extend plays. If Washington can do that, there’s every reason to believe Daniels can bounce back in a big way.
Every young quarterback hits a rough patch. What matters most is how they respond.
Daniels has already shown he’s got the mindset to weather the storm. The tools are there.
The leadership is there. What he needs now is a system that supports him-and a little bit of luck on the injury front.
The Commanders are betting that Blough can be the guy to help turn things around. And if Daniels gets a full season to work within a system built for him, don’t be surprised if he reminds everyone exactly why he was one of the most exciting rookies in recent memory.