Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels addressed the media before practice on Dec. 24. Here is a full transcript of the press conference.
On what he got the offensive lineman for Christmas:
"Some scooters. It's coming out soon. Got them some electric scooters, so they don't have to walk around as much."
On his relationship with Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Penix:
"Me and Mike are boys. Obviously, we trained together. We went through the draft process together, so we built the relationship over that time and I'm happy for him, you know, he waited his time. He's a phenomenal player in my eyes and, you know, I'm excited to be able to match up against him."
On when he started to get to know Penix and what jumped out once he knew him:
"I mean, one, he's just cool. A cool individual. One of the guys. Really down to earth, humble, super funny, but for him and I think it kind of went viral last year, but he really likes to rap. He freestyles off the top of his head, so just being around him, basically all the last year from before our season, started college to pre-draft and stuff like that. So, we just built that bond over that time."
On what it is like to be a part of this year's quarterback draft class that has been having so much success:
"Yeah, I mean, I think we still got a long way to go, but, you can see just the type of guys that are in this class and how they prepare, how they work. It's never a finished product until, you know, we all decided to hang it up one day. But I mean, I'm excited to be a part of this draft class with those guys and those caliber players. I think they're off and on with players. I'm rooting for all of them."
*On a gift that stands out to him that he got as a kid: *"I don't even know. I think I just remember around this time, waking up tomorrow and watching NBA basketball. I mean, I know there is football on tomorrow, but I don't think anything could kind of replace what basketball brings to Christmas."
On if he got LB Bobby Wagner anything:
"No."
On his relationship with Wagner and if he knew him before he got here:
"I didn't know Bobby at all. Never like crossed paths before. Obviously, I knew of him but didn't know him personally, but ever since I got here we kind of just hit it off and he's like a big brother to me and everything. Always giving game, taking care of us and I was cracking jokes too."
*On if he and Wagner have played basketball yet: *"Not yet. Not yet."
On WR Jamison Crowder and building trust with him after he came back from IR:
"Oh, I mean, just the savviness and how he sees the game. Obviously, played a lot of football in this league and, you know, those are reps that he built over the year. He's still giving out gaming knowledge to the younger guys and when he gets in there, he makes plays. So, you see that time and time again. Seeing it out at practice, you seen that OTA's, training camp, so, you know, I'm always confident when he is in there."
On Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young:
"I mean basically it fits him [his new nickname Carolina Reaper], it fits him. That's his nickname now, I guess. And, but I mean, I'm super pumped for Bryce. Every time I see him do something, I'm texting whether it's a win or a loss. I mean, I'm just happy for him to get back out there and prove to the world what I knew since we were kids or everybody else close to him knew why he was drafted that high. So I'm super excited for him."
*On what he is most thankful for this Christmas season: *"Most thankful for the Washington Commander Organization drafting me. Just making my dreams come reality and obviously my new teammates and, and brotherhood that I gained over this year. I'm thankful for the fans showing up each and every week."
On the Atlanta Falcons defense:
"Yeah, they have a lot of vets that can make plays. You know, you go up front, you got, just naming a few [LB Matthew] Judon, [DT] Grady [Jarrett], and in the back end you got [CB] AJ Terrell, [S] Jesse Bates, [CB] Justin Simmons, guys that have been doing it at a high level for a long time and can make a lot of plays. So, you know, you gotta go out there and you gotta earn it. You gotta be disciplined. You gotta be ready to play four quarters."
On keeping the focus throughout the week at practice but also working on taking the corrective measures with turnovers:
"I mean, you gotta be more attentive to the details of, you know, holding football. You know, sometimes you get careless with it and you know, think you could get away with some stuff, but, those people make you pay in those type of games and those situations. And you go out there, you don't really think about it too much as you go back to your fundamentals, your basic trainings and you keep moving on forward from there."
On keeping his composure when things get chippy during games but also supporting his teammates:
"I think it's a mixture of both. Obviously, it was a division game and you play those guys twice a year and you know, things, tempers flare. You got guys talking, but you just try your best, you know, just back everybody up and refocus on the task at hand, you know, that's playing football."
*On potentially clinching a playoff berth on Sunday with a week left in the season during his rookie season: *"I mean, it would be a blessing, but I mean, at the end of the day, you still gotta go out there and still prove it. Still win this football game. I mean, the game's not gonna be won right now. It's gonna be won, you know, Sunday, whatever time that game is ended. So hopefully we're on the right side of that scoreboard, but you gotta go out there and earn it. Nothing's given to you in this league."
On what he was feeling during the last drive of the Philadelphia game:
"I mean, just make the throw. I mean, I kind of seen everything, like I said, we had that same play in practice and you know, it's kind of like, okay, life comes full circle, you're gonna see it in the game in the biggest situation. So, I mean, just go back in fundamentals and, you know, just go out there and make the throw. I mean, wasn't too much other than that. Once I seen it, I was like, okay, I know I'm gonna be able to rip this throw and I did it, and you know, we won the game."
On how he handles knowing that if the team wins on Sunday they are in the playoffs:
"I think you still prepare the same way. It is just another game at the end of the day. Everybody else could talk about the implications of what comes with this game and you know, the magnitude of it. But for us it's like, hey, we are just going out there, we are playing the Atlanta Falcons, obviously they're fighting for something. We're fighting for something at the end of the day, so you gotta go out there and earn it."
On what Assistant Quarterback Coach David Blough brings to the quarterback room:
"He brings a lot. I mean, just a guy that's recently just got out of football has been around and knows [Los Angeles Rams QB] Matthew Stafford, [Detroit Lions QB Jared] Goff, [Atlanta falcons QB Kirk] Cousins. Bringing different knowledge of how he's seen the game, how he's seen those guys prepared day in and day out, so he is very knowledgeable. You can go ahead and talk to him about anything."
*On how the environment he is in has helped him become a leader: *"Yeah, I mean, I think you got leaders all over the locker room. Guys that step up respectfully and they're each in their position. I mean, we got leaders in the quarterback room, receiver room, running back room, wherever. So, you just come in, you just, you know, kind of just be yourself and that's how I do, that's how I take my approaches to go out there and be myself. I don't have to be nobody else who I'm not. And I mean, [Head Coach Dan Quinn] DQ tells me that all the time, like, hey, you know, just being you, that's gonna be enough."
*On the biggest thing he has learned from Wagner and if he annoys him at times: *"A hundred percent. He does annoy me. But I mean, just how to be a pro. How to take care of your body throughout a long season? How do you approach the game? And, you know, even watching film, I mean, and little tendencies and stuff like that I try to pick up on throughout the season. How I watch film before week one and how I watch film now is completely different. I ask all the veterans how they watch film and how they break down stuff. So, I mean, you see why he's been playing so long and, uh, why I think he's gonna be a hall of famer."
