Commanders in midst of record stretch of facing Heisman Trophy winners

Jayden Daniels didnt need a trophy ceremony to meet all the other active Heisman winners this season.

Several winners of college footballs prestigious award play in the NFL from year to year.

In 2024, the total number is 11 .

Setting aside Washingtons pair Daniels (2023) and Marcus Mariota (2014) Thursday nights matchup at Philadelphia against wide receiver DeVonta Smith (2020) means the Commanders will have battled the other nine active Heisman Trophy winners this season.

Advertisement According to Elias Sports, thats the most Heisman winners faced in a single season in NFL history.

The Commanders set the mark with eight in their Week 8 contest against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears .

Five teams held the record at seven, with the 2019 Los Angeles Rams being the most recent.

Washingtons 2024 journey: Week 1 Baker Mayfield (2017) Week 3 Joe Burrow (2019) Week 4 Kyler Murray (2018) Week 5 Jameis Winston (2013) Week 6 Derrick Henry (2015), Lamar Jackson (2016) Week 7 Bryce Young (2021) Week 8 Caleb Williams (2022) Week 11 DeVonta Smith (2020) Players must have taken snaps in the game to count rather than only be on the opposing roster.

Washington helped its cause here.

One-sided victories over the Cleveland Browns in Week 5 and Carolina Panthers in Week 7 led to the insertion of Winston and Young.

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If Smith is active for the Dec.

22 rematch in Washington, the Commanders would have 10 individual games this season against past Heisman winners.

The 1988 Seattle Seahawks faced only seven members of the mythical Heisman House but played in 11 games due to facing four division opponents twice.

This is Mariotas second consecutive season with a Heisman teammate.

Having played with Smith and the Eagles in 2023, the unusual opportunity continued when the Commanders selected Daniels No.

2 in Aprils draft.

It is pretty special to be able to share that.

Its a very unique fraternity to be a part of, Mariota said during training camp.

To have him as a teammate and somebody thats been a part of that journey is pretty cool.

And we can share a lot of those experiences.

Doug Flutie (1984) still attends the annual ceremony, including last December when Daniels became the 89th winner, plus golf tournaments and public and private events featuring members of a fraternity that is as elite as it gets.

Unlike the trophys famous stiff-arm pose, these moments offer firm handshakes and warm hugs.

Advertisement The Boston College legend recalled a game early in his career against the Raiders .

Marcus Allen (1981) swung by the opposing locker room before kickoff to catch up with another member of the brotherhood.

From his perspective, there is no competitiveness with the other Heisman winners, Flutie said on the Last Man Standig podcast.

Theres a common bond.

Daniels isnt close to being fully formed as a quarterback.

Still, he had already improved significantly from his educational NFL debut against Mayfield by the time the Commanders traveled a short distance to play Jackson and the Ravens .

The quarterbacks arent carbon copies, but Baltimores two-time MVP often served as a primary comparison point due to the playmaking ability with their legs.

Daniels is second among quarterbacks in rushing yards (464), trailing only Jackson (538).

Their connection began before the Week 6 meeting in Baltimore.

It goes back some time.

Kind of like a big bro, little bro type of thing, but its a mutual respect between both, Daniels said.

Jacksons Ravens fended off the Commanders for a 30-23 win despite two touchdown passes, 269 passing yards and a bevy of pinpoint throws by the rookie sensation.

I believe (Daniels) deserves all the hype hes getting, Jackson said following the game.

He played a tremendous game out there.

They just came up short.

Hes been proving it.

Mariota played in two games this season, including all but one drive versus the Panthers following a Daniels rib injury.

Ironically, that injury nearly cost fans a chance to see the top two picks from this years draft, Daniels and Williams, take the same field the following week.

Instead of Williams producing a comeback victory, Daniels uncorked a Heisman-esque moment with a game-winning Hail Mary touchdown pass on the final play.

Advertisement Entering Thursdays matchup against Smith and the Eagles, only Mayfields and Jackson/Henrys teams defeated Washington in these Heisman-filled games.

The runaway favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Daniels spent part of his offseason shooting commercials with Reggie Bush (2005), Billy Sims (1978) and two former Washington first-round selections Desmond Howard (1991) and Robert Griffin III (2011) for Nissans long-running Heisman House series.

Flutie, who met Daniels when the former LSU star received the coveted trophy, only wishes the public could see the off-camera moments from those shoots and the annual Heisman ceremony.

They needed to be running video in the back room where everyone is sitting around and storytelling.

Priceless stuff, Flutie said in a recent interview.

I know we are filming a commercial, but hearing stories, especially from some of the older guys there or at the Heisman weekend pretty cool stuff.

Daniels didnt necessarily have the time for deep-dive chats with Burrow, Williams and Jackson.

No worries.

His Heisman bonding has only just begun.

(Illustration: Cooper Neill, Brooke Sutton, Scott Taetsch, Julio Aguilar, Ryan Kang / Getty Images).

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