Commanders' Jayden Daniels' preseason status causing great debate

Grant Paulsen called out the Washington Commanders coaches, Monday. The 106.7 The Fan co-host of the “Grant & Danny” show became a bit animated Monday during a segment when the co-hosts were discussing playing time in the preseason for the starters. Fans who follow the team closely will recall Jayden Daniels had a great 2024 season, but then played only one series in the 2025 preseason. Then in the first two games of the 2025 regular season, Daniels did not play as sharply, and the offense was not nearly as effective. Paulsen and Danny Rouhier summed up their segment that football players play football. Last year, the coaches did not dress 30 players for the first preseason game. This year, for the first preseason contest, 26 players got the night off after the pregame warm-ups. Here is the most animated part of the segment from Monday's show: GP: “You wanna know why? Because you’re a football player. And what do football players do? Danny?” DR: “I thought Herm was going to say it,” referring to Herm Edwards, former NFL coach. Sure enough, the producer then supplied the audio clip they have of the sometimes comical Coach Edwards, “They play football. Football players play football, guys.” “Yeah, that’s it, Coach Herm’s got it”, said the funny Rouhier. GP: “Football players play football. This isn't some tough-guy talk. I don’t need them to play four quarters. I don’t want them to play 12 quarters in the preseason. Play football (bringing his right hand down to the desk for emphasis). It’s always a different excuse. It’s always a different reason. Last year you didn’t need it. It backfired; play football. I am asking you to do it one time against the Detroit Lions, for like two drives. If that is too much to ask, I don’t want to hear one excuse when you lose in Week 1. I don’t want to hear one peep when they are 0-2.” GP: mimicking coaches, “Oh, I just don’t understand.” Sure you do. Remember the fat guy that was telling you, ‘Everyone needs to play against the Lions?’“ GP: Now increasingly animated, “Play football!” Now yelling, “PLAY FOOTBALL! ONE TIME FOR TWO SERIES! PLAY FOOTBALL! Back to you.” With all that Jayden Daniels has brought on himself this week, perhaps playing football will be the best medicine for him, in learning how to deal with the tremendous public relations blow he has experienced the last week. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders' Jayden Daniels' preseason status causing great debate