Jayden Daniels explains why he loves Eagles fans originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
You would think that a starting quarterback in the NFC East wouldn’t like Eagles fans, but that’s not the case with Jayden Daniels.
The Commanders’ starting quarterback in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated explained why he actually loves the fans in Philly.
“I love Eagles fans,” Daniels said to Sports Illustrated. “They just embody what Philly brings. Being able to go out there and play against them, it’s kind of just that thing. Their environment is kind of like the closest thing you can get to a college environment.”
Daniels, 25, was the Commanders’ firs-round pick (No. 2 overall) out of LSU in 2024 and he had a magical rookie season last year. He led the Commanders to a 12-5 record and guided them to the NFC Championship Game before losing to the Eagles. Daniels was a Pro Bowler and the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024.
His second NFL season didn’t go to plan. Daniels managed to play just seven games because of injuries and was shut down late in the season before the two Eagles-Commanders games.
But Daniels did get to play at Lincoln Financial Field twice in his rookie season. He was asked if playing in front of Eagles fans adds some fuel for him.
“Yeah, for sure,” Daniels said. “If you can go out there and you can beat Philly in Philly, that’s a different type. But their fans bring it, man. Especially as we’re rivals with them in the NFC East. I love playing against them.”
Daniels hasn’t yet been able to beat the Eagles in Philly. He went 1-2 against the Eagles in 2024 and that win came at home. Daniels and the Commanders lost to the Eagles in Philly 26-18 in Week 11 and were blown out 55-23 in the NFC Championship Game at the Linc.
Daniels’ best game against the Eagles came in Week 16 in 2024 when he threw for 258 yards and 5 touchdowns in a win. In three games against the Eagles, Daniels has completed 63% of his passes for 705 yards with 7 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
The Eagles repeated as NFC East champions in 2024, becoming the first team to pull off that feat in two decades. The Commanders really fell off in 2025 but if Daniels is able to stay healthy, he appears to have a bright future. That would be fun for the rivalry.