Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels addressed the media on Dec. 18. Here is a full transcript of the press conference.
On if he feels pressure to make more players with so many offensive weapons out:
" I mean, it's just going out there and doing my job. Doing what the defense allows me to do. Go out there and make plays when plays need to be made. But we got guys that could go out there and make plays itself. So, getting them opportunities to do that no matter who's on the field."
On how he's progressed since the first matchup with Philadelphia:
"Yeah, I mean, I think I grow each and every game as I'm continuing this course of my rookie season. I mean, you either getting better or you're getting worse and I don't want to get worse. So, finding little ways to improve each and every game. But I mean, you go out there, you gotta put on a performance each and every Sunday."
On takeaways from Sunday and on the eight sacks:
"I mean, I would say, like I said after the game, I gotta do a better job of getting the ball out. Eliminating first down negative plays and stuff like that, help out the whole line, but it's all about our urgency and communication. Everybody being on the same page."
On when he realized he wanted to hold charity events:
"Nah, I mean, I told my parents ever since I was little, if I ever make it big, I want to give back. So, that's something that I always thought about waiting up to this moment now."
*On what he does with his Rookie of the Week belts: *"Nothing. I mean, not anything. I mean, they're in the house, in the living room."
On his message to fans that have voted for him all of those weeks:
"I mean, I appreciate the fan base. I appreciate the best fans in America."
On the run game against New Orleans and on if C Tyler Biadasz not playing effected the run game:
"I would just say everybody just gotta communicate and be on the same page no matter who's out there. So, that's the main thing we took away is [if] we get everybody on the same page going the right direction, we got a shot."
*On how the team comes together and recognizes the opportunity against Philadelphia: *"Yeah, I mean, they're a very good team, rightfully so. They play hard, they play physical, they play the right way and if we want to win football games or win the close ones, win the big games, you gotta play against some good teams. And Philly's just on the clock, so hopefully we go out there and compete against them again."
On how he maintains his focus on Philadelphia this week and on how he's doing:
"I'm doing really good, can't complain. Blessed to see another year. That's the main thing, but I mean, it's just keeping the main thing, the main thing. And being with my feet are, that's what my parents always told me growing up is just be where your feet are. Don't worry about in the future, what happened in the past. All that matters in the moment."
On differences from the first matchup against Philadelphia compared to now:
"Yeah, I mean no matter who we play, who they play, everything starts up front. They got good football players over there, we got good football players here. So, it's more so about the will and the want to upfront between everybody and just the whole team. Want to go out there, who wants it more. And the more discipline in the team with the more want to [will] prevail in this game."
*On if he would have had to wear the snowman costume if the Mets beat the Dodgers: *"No, no, no, no. I mean, I guess we'll never know."
On his level of satisfaction seeing Senior Manager of Football Communications Charlie Mule dressed up as a snowman:
"Oh man, he wasn't trying to wear it. It's a birthday gift, plus Dodgers beat the Mets so he wasn't trying to throw it on. Happened to be walking up the stairs with the general manager [Adam Peters] and look at him now."
On the game he plays with Assistant Quarterbacks Coach David Blough on Fridays and on how competitive it is:
"It's super competitive. Blough is a very competitive person, so am I. So, I don't even remember how it started. I want to say it started like week two or something. We were just messing around because we have that time in between periods and we probably had like eight minutes. So, I remember one day me and him just started playing pig and then we carry over each and every week. But it's super competitive. It's a lot of trash talking, but I mean that's kind of the people we are and we go from there."
On the score of the game with Blough:
"So, I can't speak about the tally [laugh]. But it goes back and forth. I'm more so, I try to get him out with throws I know he cannot make from maybe 20 plus. So, he's not there. Sometimes I get too ahead of myself and I start try to hit the same throw when I know I'm right there making. And he'll go make something from like five yards, 10 yards, something like that. So, it's kind of just like a chess match."
*On his completion percentage being higher as of late and on if something hindered him after his rib injury resulting in a lower percentage: *"I would just say it's just finding completions, getting the ball in my hands and letting the guys make plays. And that's kind of where we're at now."
On how much he's thought about what he's achieved over the last year:
"I really hadn't really thought about it today, because obviously I've been obligated with my football up here. But a lot can change within a year. So, looking back at it now, it's kind of crazy where I was just turning 23 to where I am now at 24."
On when he knew his relationship with WR Terry McLaurin was going to click:
"Yeah, I mean we hit a couple of those plays in training camp and OTAs and this continuous growth that we keep going. We talk throughout the week of different looks and how I view something and how he views stuff. And come game day you don't really think about it, you just put the ball in the vicinity for Terry, go make a play, and nine times out of 10 makes them."
On his ability to evade tackles:
"Yeah, I think it's just how I grew. I grew up playing flag football and stuff like that so you got people trying to take the flags off your hips, so you gotta make people miss. And move around so that's kind of just how I grew up and something I kind of, I guess you could say I kind of worked with and it translates to now."
*On his adjustment to the length of the NFL season: *"We play bowl games though too, so you kind, sometimes you play in January but I always say just the length of the season, playing consecutive weeks. In college you kind of have that break from the last game to when your bowl game is, but I mean it's just taking week by week. Obviously, our bye week helped a lot of us out just to be able to reset and now we're just moving forward for the last push of the season."
