Like the way he treated Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard, Lamar Jackson has always stiff-armed comparisons between himself and other quarterbacks.
He’s one of a kind. He’s Lamar only.
This week, as Jackson prepares to face off against the Washington Commanders and talented rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, he’ll meet a quarterback with not only a similar style of play, but the same mentality.
Daniels told reporters Wednesday that he doesn’t want to be compared to Jackson.
“I don’t like when people try to compare me to Lamar and vise-versa. We’re two different players,” Daniels said. “At the end of the day, I want to be known as Jayden Daniels and not the next such and such.”
Jackson wholeheartedly supports that perspective.
“He is his own player, [and] he’s his own man, at the end of the day,” Jackson said Wednesday. “We’re just trying to make a name for ourselves, not anyone else, so I agree with that – definitely.”
Daniels said there’s a mutual respect between he and Jackson. He said their relationship is a “big bro, little bro type of thing.”
“I’m a fan of his and how he plays the game, how he approaches the game,” Daniels said. “We’re two different quarterbacks, two different styles. I appreciate what he’s done for the sport and what he’s done for the African American quarterbacks.
“Just how he plays the position – whether that’s running, throwing, making plays – he’s a fierce competitor so I respect that about him.”
Jackson didn’t catch a lot of Daniels’ college games, but he said he has seen some of his highlights this season on social media.
“He’s going off,” Jackson said. “He’s doing what we saw in college – what got him the Heisman [Trophy]. No doubt.”
Daniels won the Heisman at LSU last year after putting up mind-boggling stats. He threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,134 yards and 10 scores. During Jackson’s 2016 Heisman year at Louisville, he threw for 3,543 yards and 30 touchdowns while also running for 1,571 yards and 21 scores.
Daniels, like Jackson, has gotten off to a hot start in his NFL career. The Commanders’ rookie has led them to a 4-1 start with the NFL’s highest-scoring offense (31 points per game).
Daniels leads the league in completion percentage (77.1%) and sits one spot behind Jackson in quarterback rating (106.3). Daniels’ 300 rushing yards are the second-most in the league by a quarterback (16th overall), only trailing Jackson’s 363 yards.
While their dual-threat talents are similar, they do it in their own ways. What’s also different is the reception they were given by the NFL.
While Jackson was asked whether he was going to switch positions in the NFL and was drafted No. 32 overall, Daniels got none of that talk and was picked No. 2 overall. That’s partly because Jackson has proven to the league that there are many ways to play quarterback.
Being that kind of trailblazer, however, isn’t something that Jackson thinks about, especially when he’s so locked in during the season.
“I’m just glad that teams are just accepting that now, instead of just guys going through [a] hassle and trying to get mocked or whatever,” Jackson said. “But guys are proving it [by] just stepping in the league and doing what they are supposed to do, so that’s helping it out even more.”
