Washington

Can Jayden Daniels’ second act land the Commanders in the Super Bowl?

Published

5 months ago

July 21, 2025

Can Jayden Daniels’ second act land the Commanders in the Super Bowl?

The second act of Jayden Daniels’ NFL career will come with high expectations – for himself and the Washington Commanders.

In 2024, the Commanders made the NFC championship game, with their rookie quarterback as the main reason. For a franchise devoid of success for more than two decades and a carousel at quarterback, Daniels was more than a revelation. He took on a mystic presence. He was a savior.

Now the Commanders will enter the 2025 season considered Super Bowl contenders (fair or not) and Daniels will be on MVP shortlists. An ESPN poll that took the temperature of NFL executives and coaches left Daniels as the No. 5-ranked quarterback in the league. Ahead of him were the powerful AFC quartet of quarterback: Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow.

“I gotta go out there and prove myself each and every day, no matter if it was last season, this season, 10, 20 years down the road,” Daniels said in May, “you have to prove yourself each and every season.

“Outside noise doesn’t matter,” he continued, “have to go there and keep proving yourself.”

Taken second overall in the new Commanders regime by general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn, Daniels carried over his production from Louisiana State to the pros. He rushed for the most yards ever by a rookie quarterback (891). The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner completed 69% of his passes and threw 25 touchdowns – five of which came in the final 30 seconds of regulation or overtime – to nine interceptions. He easily won Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Off the field, Daniels was instrumental in catalyzing the culture change Quinn instilled from the top of the organization down.

“He’s an amazing teammate. The amount of work that he puts in that goes unseen here to get ready to play, to learn it, to teach others to, you know, connect the guys … there is no flinch in Jayden Daniels,” Quinn said in May. “He’s as focused and relentless as you could about getting better. And so that’s why I said for us around here, like, man, we appreciate that and there’s a lot of things that, he and the rest of us are really digging in hard on to say, ‘All right, can we get this better?’”

Jayden Daniels’ 2025 NFL season goals? From learning to mastery

Throughout Daniels’ first full offseason as a pro, the coaching staff and the quarterback concentrated on taking aspects of his game from “really good” to “elite” with the goal of being “the best at this concept,” Quinn said.

The freedom an offseason provides was new to Daniels. Some of that was difficult to navigate, Daniels said, but he leaned on his support system.

“It was fun just to sit back and reflect and figure out how I’m going to move throughout this offseason and move forward,” Daniels said.

For offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, that meant receiving plenty of texts and calls from Daniels, who is a football junkie. Kingsbury didn’t have to give him any homework.

“His mind is never very far away from the game, so if he sees something or has a thought, he likes to reach out and talk through it,” Kingsbury said in May. “And so that relationship has really grown, I think kind of figuring out where we want to continue to get better at.

“That’s all he kind of thinks about is how he can get better and watches a ton of film, watches a ton of football overall. And so, that organically really takes care of itself in a way when you have a guy who wants to be that great.”

A potential head-coach candidate once again, Kingsbury, quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard and assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough were all retained by the Commanders this offseason with the goal of providing a stable “ecosystem,” in the words of Peters, for Daniels.

“It’s huge,” Kingsbury said of the continuity at Daniels’ disposal. “I think you look traditionally through the NFL, the guys who’ve had a ton of success have been able to stay in those long-term, all-time greats and just the comfort level and then you being able to take the ownership of it and understand it inside and out, where now you’re correcting people, you don’t even need the coaches. And he’s kind of getting to that point.”

Going into Year 2, Kingsbury said, Daniels shifted from learning to mastery of the scheme. Daniels said “transparency” between he and Kingsbury has improved; he relays what he likes, Kingsbury offers his viewpoints and they agree on the middle ground.

“Just watching him move around, he’s not thinking as much, he’s playing fast and letting his natural gifts kind of take over and that’s what we want to see,” Kingsbury said. “So, I expect him to take a big jump.”

The spotlight will only increase. The Commanders are scheduled to play in 10 standalone windows this season, starting Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers on “Thursday Night Football.”

Commanders have ‘massive opportunity’ with Jayden Daniels on rookie contract

Throughout last season, Daniels faced questions regarding his durability. The 6-foot-4 passer is listed at a generous 210 pounds. Big hits he took in the first month of the season didn’t assuage those concerns. Daniels suffered a rib injury against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 20 following a long run that affected him for the better part of a month.

Neither the Commanders nor Daniels had any specific weight goals or bulking desires for the offseason. Quinn said he’s where he expects Daniels to be on the scale, but that working out more has naturally made him leaner.

“He knows what he has to do to protect himself and where he feels comfortable playing,” Kingsbury said. “But the arm strength, it looks better and you can tell he’s stronger, there’s no doubt.”

While Daniels improved himself, Peters improved the roster. He brought back key veterans who bonded with Daniels in tight end Zach Ertz, linebacker Bobby Wagner and backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. He traded for wideout Deebo Samuel, formerly with the San Francisco 49ers, and left tackle Laremy Tunsil. The Commanders used their first-round draft pick on offensive lineman Josh Conerly.

“We have a massive opportunity, and you know, none of us are taking that lightly,” Commanders owner Josh Harris said regarding Daniels’ rookie contract in February after the team’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game.

But Daniels’ favorite target, wide receiver Terry McLaurin, and the front office are locked into a contract standoff that has devolved from standard to bitter.

In Quinn’s mind, whoever Daniels is working with on the field has the benefit of working with a leader who understands the larger goal.

“I know he’s worked hard through the offseason, but he’s just in command of the things that he wanted to work,” Quinn said. “He and his teammates, they’ve really put in a lot of work together.

“You can sense when people are going for it and you know, he’s certainly one that is.”

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Washington

Washington Spirit Names Kim Bolt Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer

Published

5 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Washington Spirit Names Kim Bolt Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer

Bolt transitions into role after driving impact as Fractional CMO earlier this season

Washington, D.C. (12/15/2025) – The Washington Spirit today announced the appointment of Kim Bolt as Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, a newly created executive role that reflects the club’s continued evolution into a high-performance, growth-oriented organization.

Bolt transitions into the role after joining the Spirit earlier this season as Fractional Chief Marketing Officer, where she played a key role in strengthening the club’s marketing strategy, analytics foundation and demand-generation efforts during a pivotal stretch of the year.

In her expanded role, Bolt will oversee Marketing, Communications, Brand, Strategy and Analytics, with a mandate to build a modern, data-driven commercial engine that accelerates fan growth, deepens engagement, elevates the Spirit’s brand and supports the club’s long-term ambitions on and off the pitch.

With more than 20 years of marketing and strategy leadership across technology, fitness and sports, Bolt brings deep experience scaling mission-driven brands. Her career includes senior leadership roles at Google, Lyft, Under Armour and Disney, as well as serving as Chief Marketing Officer of the Washington Nationals. An expert in marketing technology centered around fan data, Bolt has also advised League One Volleyball and served as Fractional CMO for OnDeck Partners, an Avenue Sports Fund portfolio company focused on minor league baseball.

“As we evolve from a team that wins into an organization built for sustained excellence, Kim’s experience and mindset are exactly what we need,” said Kim Stone, CEO of the Washington Spirit. “She understands this market, this moment and the scale of the opportunity in front of us. Her global brand experience, strategic rigor and early impact with our organization strengthen the foundation we’re building and position us for long-term, sustainable growth.”

A former youth soccer player, Bolt was drawn to the sports industry by her belief in its unique ability to create emotional connection and lifelong memories, a passion shaped early by her family’s love of the game. Throughout her career, Bolt has championed a leadership style grounded in empathy, resilience and accountability. She is committed to supporting women in sports and business and believes high performance and personal balance can, and should, coexist.

“The first time my daughters came to a Spirit match, they memorized the roster and their eyes lit up when they saw a player who looked like them,” said Bolt. “That was the moment I knew I wanted to be part of this organization. Having worked closely with the team this season, I’ve seen firsthand the ambition, the talent and the opportunity ahead. I’m honored to step into this role and help build a brand and growth engine that matches the excellence we’re striving for on the field.”

Bolt resides in Silver Spring, Maryland with her husband, three children and two dogs. She holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania as well as a master’s degree in Communications and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cornell University. As the Spirit’s first Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, Bolt will lead the club through the offseason and into the 2026 season, helping shape the next chapter of the organization’s growth.

About The Washington Spirit

The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012, and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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Washington

Residents clean up, assess damage after waters recede from Washington state flooding

Published

2 days ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Residents clean up, assess damage after waters recede from Washington state flooding

Receding waters allowed residents of Burlington, Washington, to assess damage and clean up after record flooding. (AP video: Manuel Valdes)

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Washington

New York Giants vs. Washington Commanders: Behind Enemy Lines

Published

2 days ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

New York Giants vs. Washington Commanders: Behind Enemy Lines

The New York Giants (2-11) and Washington Commanders (3-10) will square off on Sunday afternoon in a Week 15 matchup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Opening the week, the Giants were listed as 1.5-point home favorites, but that line has shifted slightly with New York now at -2.5 as of this writing.

With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Commanders Wire managing editor Bryan Manning.

Is Daniel Snyder back in charge? Explain the fall from NFC Championship Game to 3-10.

Manning: There have been so many factors in Washington’s fall this year. The year they’re having right now is probably the one everyone expected a year ago. The roster was in bad shape due to Ron Rivera whiffing on four drafts, but GM Adam Peters needs more from his draft picks. Is it coaching? We’ve already seen the DC “reassigned.” Injuries have played a role. Look, I saw questions on this roster before the injuries, but they haven’t helped. Daniels being in and out of the lineup hasn’t helped. McLaurin holding out over the summer really changed things. When you add it all together, it’s the perfect storm of terrible.

It’s been an odd season for Jayden Daniels, who is now out on Sunday. What have you seen from him in Year 2, and what do you expect from him moving forward?

Jayden has been let down a bit by the team. If anyone watched him last year, they’d know he was the reason this team won 12 games and made it to the NFC championship. He erased deficits. No third down was too long. He was automatic on fourth downs. However, McLaurin’s holdout, Noah Brown being out for so long, and Austin Ekeler’s injury crushed the offense. A rotating cast of wide receivers, often called up from the practice squad, has hampered the offense. The injuries were more bad luck than anything. And I believe Jayden could play through them, outside of the initial elbow injury. This offseason should be about finding a 1B to McLaurin’s 1A.

What does the loss of Zach Ertz mean for Washington’s offense, especially with Marcus Mariota under center?

Losing Ertz hurts. While he had some issues with drops at times, and he was no longer a threat after the catch, the quarterbacks trusted Ertz. He consistently gets open, even at 35. A great leader, and he’s still a productive player. His shoes are big. The hope is Ben Sinnott can be the guy. I am not confident he is ready to do some of the things Ertz did. Mariota, like Daniels, always trusts Ertz on third downs and inside the red zone.

Jonathan Jones and Bobby Wagner are banged up. What do they mean to the defense, and who steps in if they can’t go on Sunday?

Jones missed a lot of time earlier this season. When he returned, the Commanders lost Marshon Lattimore and Trey Amos for the season. Jones is a solid veteran who can play inside and outside, and Washington doesn’t have a lot of cornerback depth now. The defense has stunk regardless of who has played in the secondary, so I am not sure we will notice much. Wagner is still a solid player, but teams wisely attack him in the passing game. That’s his weakness now as a 14th-year pro. He is still excellent against the run or as a blitzer. But he’s a massive liability in coverage. Jordan Magee has played a lot lately, but I would like to see him play the MIKE one entire game in place of Wagner, just to see what he can do.

How do you see Sunday’s game playing out, who wins, and what’s the final score?

These games are always crazy. I feel like it’s always the Giants and Commanders fighting for draft position late in the season. It’s unfortunate for both franchises. While I still like the future outlook for both teams, this game is for nothing more than who will pick higher in the draft. Although the players do not care. The Giants are playing better. Sure, the wins haven’t come, but they will on Sunday. Another close one, but New York wins, 24-20.

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