Jayden Daniels had an impressive rookie season, and it reached a new high with one of the most remarkable Hail Mary passes in NFL history.
Daniels and the Washington Commanders achieved an incredible comeback on Sunday against the Chicago Bears. With just 23 seconds remaining and the Commanders trailing 15-12, Daniels launched a desperate pass, hoping for a miracle. The ball was deflected among a crowd of players, and against all odds, Noah Brown found himself unguarded in the end zone to catch it, completing a 52-yard touchdown that secured an 18-15 victory for Washington.
Before that last thrilling play, it seemed like Caleb Williams might lead the Bears to victory despite having a rough game. However, Daniels managed to pull off an incredible finish.
After the game, a composed Daniels spoke with CBS’ Tracy Wolfson, saying, “Keep fighting, man, we keep fighting. We’ve got a great locker room, a great brotherhood. Nobody else I’d rather go to war with.”
In a lackluster first half, neither team scored a touchdown. The Bears struggled significantly, failing to find the end zone, and Williams faced relentless pressure, ending the half with a mere 3 completions on 8 attempts for 33 yards while being sacked for a total of 15 yards. The Bears did not surpass 100 total yards of offense until the third quarter.
The Commanders managed to perform better, taking a 9-0 lead into halftime with three field goals. Despite a rib injury that raised questions about his availability, Daniels ended the day with 326 passing yards.
In the second half, Washington appeared to have scored a touchdown with a 32-yard pass to Olamide Zaccheaus, but the play was nullified by a penalty for ineligible man downfield, resulting in another field goal to extend their lead to 12-0.
The Bears finally found some momentum when D’Andre Swift broke free for a 56-yard touchdown run, signaling a resurgence in their offense. Subsequently, however, Chicago made a puzzling decision at the goal line when an attempted handoff to offensive lineman Doug Kramer Jr. resulted in a fumble, which the Commanders recovered.
Faced with the prospect of victory, the Bears clawed back into the game, with Williams connecting with key receivers to put them in a position to score. After a pass interference call on Commanders cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, the Bears found themselves in the end zone again, with Roschon Johnson scoring a touchdown with 23 seconds left, temporarily taking the lead.
However, Daniels was not done yet, as he prepared for one final play that would cement his legacy for this season.