For many years, few believed the Washington Commanders had a chance to be a ruling NFL team. They had not seen a victory in the NFL playoff round in 19 years, had not been involved in the Super Bowl for 32 years, and had not been sent to the NFC championship round in 33 years.

Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels from Louisiana State University (LSU) has shattered these perceptions. The 24-year-old is achieving things that some quarterbacks have only dream of. Daniels single-handedly brought the Commanders from having a losing record of 4-13 to a record of 12-5, while also being one game away from the Super Bowl in a single rebuilding season, a feat almost unheard of in the NFL.

Daniels started his college career at Arizona State University where he played three seasons of college football, then went to LSU where he thrived. He scored 50 touchdowns at LSU and continued on to win the Heisman Trophy.

Daniels was selected by the Washington Commanders as their second overall draft pick in 2024. He has been seen as one of the best rookie players to enter the NFL, with the most rushing yards and highest pass completion rate ever seen by an NFL rookie quarterback.

According to ESPN, “While his season isn’t yet complete, it’s possible to compare the No. 2 pick to other great rookies from the past, many of whom were already on vacation by the time the NFL got down to the final four teams in the playoff bracket.”

Many think that what Daniels has accomplished with the Commanders should’ve taken at least a couple of years. Yet Daniels turned the entire team around in less than a season.

Not all praise can go to Daniels for the team’s success. They got a new head coach this season, Dan Quinn, who has been in the NFL as a defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys and was named the Commanders’ head coach last year.

Even Cowboys fan and FCHS Head Football Coach Mitchell Pace is impressed by the team’s turnaround.

“Whether it be the hated Commanders, or hopes of my Cowboys rebuilding to previous dominance, seeing that kind of growth, development, and commitment to the team is always an inspiration. Bringing our team up to a constantly competitive position at the top of the district is a goal we have here at Fluvanna, and seeing the Commanders and other teams do it definitely proves the possibility,” Pace said.

In a sign of how AI may play an increasing role in football, part of the team’s resurgence might be attributable to virtual reality. Daniels has credited most of his success to his VR (virtual reality) set. He said he tends to wake up every morning before practice to go through real in-game scenarios without any risk of injury.

Daniels first started using VR in college where he would use other teams’ film and input it into his VR software. He would then go through AI set defensive schemes at 2x speed so when the time came to play, everything would come naturally easy for him. He credited this for getting him mentally ready for in-game scenarios, including with the Commanders.

Many people think Daniels has found a new, state-of-the-future way to train. Considering the Commanders’ recent success, it will be interesting to see whether other teams jump on the AI bandwagon.