In order for the Washington Commanders to win their first playoff game in 20 years, all it took was every single second of their NFC Wild Card Game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
And when Zane Gonzalez’s 37-yard field goal doinked off the right upright and dropped over the crossbar as time expired for a 23-20 win, the Commanders walked off the field bloodied but not beaten as the advanced to face the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions in the NFC Divisional Round.
In the case of Commanders superstar rookie QB Jayden Daniels, the bloody part was quite literal as national television cameras showed him bleeding profusely from his cheek early in the second quarter before trainers cleaned and bandaged the wound — drawing comparisons on social media to rapper Nelly’s signature face band-aid.
“Jayden Daniels got the Nelly Band-Aid,” ESPN’s Myron Medcalf wrote wrote on his official X account.
“Jayden Daniels out here winning games looking like Nelly from the hot n here video,” X user The Real Larry D wrote.
“Jayden Daniels with the Nelly bandaid might be hard to beat,” X user Andrew Joseph wrote.
Daniels’ injury did little to slow him as he finished 24-of-35 passing for 268 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions in his first career playoff game.
From ESPN: “Daniels, playing with a bandage beneath his right eye after his face was bloodied, became the third rookie quarterback in three years to win a playoff game.”
Daniels Seems Like Shoo-In for NFL Offensive ROY
Daniels seems like a shoo-in to be named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after leading Commanders to a 12-5 record and breaking the NFL rookie rushing record set by the last Washington player to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year — quarterback Robert Griffin III in 2012.
Griffin was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft after winning the Heisman Trophy at LSU in 2023.
The Ringer’s Todd McShay did a 2024 re-draft on “The McShay Show” on December 25 that saw him drop Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams from No. 1 overall to No. 3 overall to the New England Patriots, with Daniels pushed up to No. 1 and Drake Maye up from No. 3 to No. 2 with the Commanders.
“I don’t know that Jayden Daniels would have a whole lote more success than Caleb Williams (in Chicago), but I think after just about a full season in the NFL, Jayden Daniels feels like the right decision here,” McShay said. ” … I just can’t debate it. I think it was really close coming in (to the draft) between (Daniels) and Caleb, and Jayden has just outplayed him this year.”
Daniels Already Has One Postseason Honor
Daniels, who has already been named a Pro Bowler, was named Pro Football Talk’s Offensive Rookie of the Year on January 7.
“(Daniels) also led the Commanders to a playoff berth in a year that was supposed to be a rebuilding season, adding 891 rushing yards (a record for rookie quarterbacks) and six touchdowns,” PFT’s Mike Florio wrote. “As we close in on inaugurating a new president, Daniels already has been crowned the king of D.C. And there’s no reason to think he won’t keep getting better and better.”
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Bloody Moment for Commanders QB in NFC Wild Card