NFL fans react to Commanders’ plan for Jayden Daniels in preseason opener vs Jets

Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels will get his first taste of the National Football League when he starts in the first preseason game. While Washington Commanders' fans have anxiously awaited to see the second overall pick play, many fans are questioning the decision.

It's not that Daniels isn't ready to play, the Heisman Trophy winner has impressed many thus far in training camp. The problem lies with the location of his first preseason start: MetLife Stadium.

The Commanders are set to travel to New Jersey to take on the New York Jets in Saturday's first pre-season game for both teams.

MetLife Stadium's turf has been known to cause injuries, most notably to Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers last season when he suffered an Achilles injury. The comments on the X post which announced Daniels as the starter were flooded with concern for the rookie.

Most of the fans felt that it is a tough atmosphere for someone to make his first NFL start. Others said they would rather wait and see Jayden Daniels play later in the preseason.

"Brave decision," said one fan.

"First ever NFL game and it’s gonna be at MetLife,"- a fan nervously said.

"I would never let him play on that turf in a meaningless game," one fan proclaimed.

Jayden Daniels is expected to help bring in a new chapter for the Washington Commanders under new head coach Dan Quinn. Fans are ready, just a bit cautious when it comes to this decision.

The overall consensus though was that fans were nervous for Jayden Daniels and hoped that he would get through the game unscathed.

"I think having him not play on the worst surface in the NFL (in a preseason game, nonetheless) would’ve been the wiser choice here," one user on X said.

"In the metlife turf.... yikes," one person who was shocked by the decision said.

"Out of every place to start him why here you know that turf is cursed," -questioned another.

Commanders HC Dan Quinn weighed in on Jayden Daniels possibly starting Week 1

The Washington Commanders will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. Many expect to see the second-overall draft pick Jayden Daniels make the start for the Commanders.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn was a guest on The Up and Adams Show and was asked by host Kay Adams what was preventing him from naming Daniels the starter.

Kay Adams asked: "What's keeping you from naming him the starter? Usually that's something you, because you want the humility part of it. What is he trying to earn here?"

Quinn then said the decision to withhold the name of the starter right now is to keep a training camp competition going. He did go on to praise his rookie quarterback and how impressed he is with the start he has gotten off to.

"I think what we're trying to do for everybody is just make sure we're gonna make competition the theme and all that we're going to do. And so for him, it's not just competing against the other person. It's like his past self, can I raise it again? So, he's playing the position excellent. Not just throwing it in and out of checks, protections run game, so he's really off to a great start get out."

Quinn's assessment of Jayden Daniels' abilities seems like an endorsement of him as the Week 1 starter but he's keeping it close to the vest for now.