Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels addressed the media after practice on Sept. 11. Here is a full transcript of the press conference.
On his first week playing in the NFL and on if he changed anything in his routine: **"No, I didn't change anything about my routine. Just getting in the flow of things. It was fun to go out there and play my first professional game. So, looking forward to this week and building on."
On the New York Giants:
"Yeah, obviously their front. Those guys that have a front can change the game. Very sound defense. Obviously, the dude came from Tennessee, [Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen] so it is going to be a fun one."
On the transition from a dominant college program to a recalibrating NFL team:
"I'm just focused on getting better each and every day. I trust DQ [Head Coach Dan Quinn], AP [General Manager Adam Peters] and the direction that they're going with this organization, but for me it's how can I show up every day and be the best version of myself."
On playing with RB Austin Ekeler:
"Yeah, Austin specifically, he's been great. Another set of eyes. Obviously, what he's seen, he's seen a lot of football in his league and he's a very good football player."
On how he assessed his performance in Week 1 and on what he can learn from:
"Yeah, I mean, I could learn and I could grow in every aspect of my game. Obviously, like I said after the game, I grade myself hard. We didn't get the win, so it's kind of like, alright, we go back, watch the film. You watch the tape, it's never as good as you thought it was, it's never as bad as you thought it was. So, you just move on. You learn from those lessons that you learned on tape. Take the coaching, you move on to the next week."
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On if there was anything he can instantly learn from last week:
*"Yeah, I would just say to go out there and getting in the rhythm with everybody, the whole offense. And that starts with me."
On the growth of WR Luke McCaffrey:
"Yeah, for somebody that hasn't been playing that position that long, a very smart learner, a very fast learner, very instinctual, smart. Obviously, he played quarterback, so we kind of see it hand in hand. He kind of knows, 'Okay, based off the concept, this is the forward, this is the timing I need be in this window.' So I'm happy with his growth so far."
On what WR Noah Brown can add to the offense:
"Yeah, he is tough. A hard worker, very smooth with his route running. So, it's a big week of practice for us, for him and we're just looking to get better."
On how he knows when to take off and run:
" I'll just say based off the situation, obviously that's situational things. You kind of just go from there. I can't really tell, it's like an instinctual thing, feel thing like, 'Hey, the time is up.' Obviously, you don't want to get hit by 300 pound-plus people. That's kind of growing up my whole life, man. It's like just an instinct. Like that time that clock in your head is like, 'Alright, it's time to go.'"
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On what he's looking forward to most in the team's home opener:
*"Yeah, the energy, the fans. I'm excited to go out there and be able to play for the first time in that stadium in front of the fans."
On what he thinks about when he hears 9/11:
*"Yeah, I mean obviously it was a tragedy. And like you said, I was less than a year old. From what I hear, it's like, man, it was a crazy thing. My parents were telling me before that you could just walk up to your gate at the airport, stuff like that. But now me growing up, you see TSA, you see things like that. So, it's just a tragedy and obviously everything that happened that day will never be forgotten and in remembrance of stuff that happened."
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On his communication with New York Giants WR Malik Nabers and on what it will be like on gameday:
**"It's going to be special. That's my brother. We built a very tight connection over these past two years at LSU. Communication, I mean, I talked to him last night, but I don't see us talking that much this whole week until the game."
On if there was trash talk between him and Nabers:
"It was kind of just chilling, just catching up. Talking about how our first games went. And then we kind of went from there and we obviously know it was at stake. Bragging rights between me and him, but I don't know, maybe we'll talk pregame. Maybe we not, maybe I'll see him after the game, so we'll see."
On what the speed of the Tampa Bay game was like for him:
"Yeah, for sure slowed down. Obviously, it was different. You got guys that have been playing in this league for a long time and very good football players at that, so being able to go out there and just compete against the best. And you know, that was a tough defense to go up against for your first start ever. Obviously with [Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach] Todd Bowles and his scheme and with the players they got over there, man, it was a good test for me."
On anything him and the coaches have talked about they want to do differently this week compared to last week's game:
"Yeah, I think that just comes with reps. And obviously, the coaches try to prepare us as best for what we've seen, but everybody can switch up come game day, so you gotta be able to react on your feet and be able to adjust."
*On the run plays and knowing when to pick spots and run: *"Just situationally. It's kind of just a conversation that's kind of being had like, 'Hey situationally, it's like, hey, maybe you could throw the ball away here or you could take off'. You gotta have a situation, obviously you gotta have it. So, things like that. But I'll just say to answer your question, it's just based off the situation."
On how he stayed relax and smiling on the sidelines during last week's game and how that attitude helps him:
"Man, that's just how I was raised honestly. I don't really know. I think I was just blessed with that from obviously God and my parents having that type of demeanor. And I was always told, 'don't let the moment get too big for you', and that's kind of how I move through my everyday life. I'm the same person. I'm very competitive and you're not gonna see it off the field, but on the field, unless we kind of competing against some stuff. But on the field, man, I'm trying to go out there and do whatever it takes to win the game."
*On how he takes that attitude into this week's divisional matchup: *"Yeah, I mean you just treat every game the same. No matter how big, every game is a big game. Just how you treat practice, every day at practice is a big practice. You wanna treat it like it's a Super Bowl essentially as far as practice, as far as how you prepare each and every week. You don't want to go in there like, man, it's just another game. You wanna prepare the same way, and that's what's come with just being a pro."
On if anything feels different in his perspective after playing his first NFL game compared to training camp:
"Oh, I mean, man, it kind of took forever to get here, but now it's here. Now we're in the swing of things, and I would say that's kind of just the biggest thing was, man, you wait all that time to play football and then you finally get to play your first game and now you're rolling."
On what it was like watching the WR Luke McCaffery throwback on film:
"Man, it's just split moment decisions. Obviously, Luke played quarterback and I trust what he sees, man. But obviously you go back and look at tape, it's not even that. You look at tape and it's like, 'Man, I wish I had that play back, wish I had that throw back to [WR] Terry [McLaurin]', on the go ball and stuff like that. But you learn from those two rookies man playing their first game. So, we'll continue to grow and learn from those mistakes."
On how to stay patient and not force big plays:
"Man, it's gonna come. Go out there, you can't try to force stuff. When you start forcing stuff, that's when you kind of just get out who you are, your character. When the plays there, make them, but other than that, man, the name of the game's moving the chains and you keep moving the chains the closer you get to scoring."
