ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders announced Monday that Jayden Daniels will be the starting quarterback this season.

It’s not a result that surprises anyone, but the announcement is big regardless as the expectation becomes reality for the Commanders and general manager Adam Peters’ first ever NFL Draft selection.

For Washington head coach Dan Quinn, the announcement is a culmination of the process the team started back in April when Daniels was first drafted, and was rooted in growth, competition, and earning everything – with nothing given.

Daniels said after the announcement he appreciates earning the job based on his NFL merits and not what he did in college with the Arizona State Sun Devils and LSU Tigers, where he won the Heisman Trophy.

READ MORE: ‘We’ve Got to Finish Better,’ Says Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels After Loss

“(It’s) just a blessing that DQ and AP trust me to go out there and lead the team, lead the franchise to hopefully win some games,” Daniels said in his press conference following the announcement. “So big ups to them. It’s a blessing. Something I dreamt about as a kid to be at this moment, to experience this moment.”

Daniels also called the experience surreal, thanking God as well as his family and teammates – basically everyone who has supported or helped him along the way.

Unlike No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, who the Chicago Bears crowned internally before drafting and externally not long after, Daniels was expected to prove he was ready for the job before getting it. Something he says he appreciates, and speaks to the authenticity in both Peters and Quinn.

“Everything in life – you got to earn it. Nothing’s given,” Daniels said. “You got to earn your right to stay. You got to earn your right on the field in the position. So to be able to go out there and compete, it makes everybody better. So what they preach, they hold true to that.”

And that means Daniels will get to compete even more. Maybe not as much in the team’s preseason finale this Sunday, but in the regular season, where it’ll start with Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and end as far as Daniels, Quinn, Peters, and all the Commanders involved can take the franchise.

READ MORE: Washington Commanders Defense Has ‘Come a Long Way’ Learning and Executing New Scheme

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

• NFL Insider Believes Starting Commanders WR Could be Released

• Washington Commanders Rookie Jayden Daniels Reflects on Week vs. Miami Dolphins

• Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Showing Positive Signs Through Two Showings

• Another Washington Commanders First-Round Pick Has Future in Question Entering Week 2

The Democratic National Convention will play out like an awards show in Chicago this week, with four hosts set to helm the event in total—one for each night of the convention, officials told CNN.

Those hosts are; Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Mindy Kaling and Ana Navarro.

Each is expected to open the night with their own introduction, then will return throughout the night to anchor the event and introduce new segments. The convention will hold a different theme each night, including: “For the People” on Monday, “A Bold Vision for America’s Future” on Tuesday, “A Fight for Our Freedoms” on Wednesday, and “For Our Future” on Thursday.

Washington, who helms her own political nonprofit, Influence Change, will host the convention’s big night on Thursday, when Vice President Kamala Harris will formally accept the Democratic presidential nomination. Harris officially became the Democratic Party’s nominee for President on Aug. 6 after receiving a majority of votes on a virtual roll call.

Goldwyn will host Monday night, Navarro on Tuesday and Kaling on Wednesday.

All four have been vocal supporters of the Democratic Party. Washington, star of Scandal, opened the third night of the 2020 convention. Her Scandal co-star, Goldwyn, recently attended an event with then-presumptive nominee Joe Biden, while Kaling appeared alongside Harris in a 2020 video where the pair cooked a South Indian dish.

Navarro, a co-host of The View, is a Republican, but has been more friendly to the Democratic side in recent years and says she supports Harris.

Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver Monday night’s keynote address, while first lady Jill Biden is also expected to speak that night, according to The Washington Post.

“Our convention is an opportunity to bring the story of our party to the American people — not just the story of what we’ve achieved under the Biden-Harris administration, but how the Harris-Walz ticket is planning to build on that historic record for a new way forward into the future,” said Convention Chair Minyon Moore. “The story here is simple and it’s one that will resonate with Americans across the country: Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are fighting for the American people and America’s future — Donald Trump is only fighting for himself.”

Also on the speaker list, according to The Post: former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton; former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton; Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries; and former first lady Michelle Obama.

Safety Justin Simmons is officially a member of the Falcons and wide receiver James Washington is officially off the team’s 90-man roster.

The Falcons announced Simmons’s agreement on a one-year deal with the team on Sunday. They also announced that they have released Washington.

Washington signed with the Falcons in late July and did not catch a pass in either of the team’s first two preseason games. The veteran spent time with the Colts and Saints last year, but last appeared in a regular season game with the Cowboys in 2022. He also played 60 games for the Steelers and has 114 catches for 1,629 yards and 11 touchdowns for his career.

Simmons joins Jessie Bates, Richie Grant, Hellams and Micah Abernathy as safety options in Atlanta.