Jayden Daniels is quickly making a name for himself as one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL. In his first year, he has led the Washington Commanders to a winning season and into the playoffs.
With the team in the NFC Championship, Daniels is just a game away from reaching the Super Bowl, which would make him the first rookie quarterback to do so.
How much does Daniels make as a rookie quarterback, and what is his net worth in 2025?
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Jayden Daniels stayed focused on winning and wasted no time in proving himself to be one of the Commanders’ most valuable assets during his rookie year.
Brooke Sutton/Getty Images
What is Jayden Daniels’ net worth?
Daniels’ earnings largely come from his salary as a rookie quarterback, and his net worth is likely reflective of his first-year salary. Based on his income and endorsements, Daniels’ net worth is probably between $5 million and $10 million.
Jayden Daniels’ career earnings
In 2024, Daniels signed a four-year, $37.75 million contract with the Washington Commanders. Of this sum, he was paid $6.86 million in his first year, according to Over the Cap, which tracks NFL players’ earnings. (His average annual salary across his entire contract comes out to around $9.4 million.)
Jayden Daniels’ endorsements
The total value of Daniels’ endorsements is likely to be in the millions of dollars. He has appeared as a brand ambassador for the automaker Nissan. According to news website Pro Football Network, Daniels was already a top earner prior to the NFL due to Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, and he brought in $2.2 million annually through endorsements with brands including drinks maker Powerade, headphones maker Beats Electronics, and retailer Urban Outfitters.
Still, a Super Bowl win is likely to lead to even more lucrative endorsement deals, especially with companies that have large advertising budgets.
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Who is Jayden Daniels?
Jayden Daniels was born in Fontana, Calif. on Dec. 18, 2000. His father, Javon Daniels, was a defensive back for Iowa State University in 1998 and a cornerback for the University of Washington in 1996.
At Cajon High School in San Bernardino, Calif., Jayden Daniels broke several school and state football records and became a top prospect upon graduation.
Jayden Daniels’ college football career
Daniels signed with Arizona State University in 2019, and he became the first true freshman quarterback in the school’s program history to start the first game of a season. In his three years at ASU, Daniels led the Sun Devils to an 18–12 record, but he put up some impressive numbers, including ranking second in the Big 12 conference in pass efficiency at 145.7 during his sophomore year.
Daniels transferred to Louisiana State University as a senior in 2022 and led the Tigers to a 10–4 winning record and a trip to the SEC Championship Game that the team lost to the University of Georgia Bulldogs.
In his super senior year, Daniels led the Tigers to another winning season, going 10–3. He put up another year of impressive numbers, including becoming the only player in Football Bowl Subdivision history to rush for 200 yards and pass for 350 yards in a game.
Daniels was awarded the Heisman Trophy — just the third LSU player to receive it after Joe Burrow (2019) and Billy Cannon (1959). Burrow is the starting quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Jayden Daniels’ NFL career
Daniels was the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, just behind another Heisman winner, Caleb Williams (2022), a quarterback from the University of Southern California.
Daniels was selected by the Washington Commanders, which was rebuilding its team under new ownership, and signed on to a four-year, $37.75 million contract, a lucrative contract for a rookie. Daniels immediately became the starting quarterback, with Marcus Mariota, the 2014 Heisman winner, as his backup and mentor.
Daniels has had an impressive rookie season with the Commanders, leading the team to a 12–5 winning record and into the playoffs. His stats for the 2024 season include completing 69% of his passes, throwing 3,568 yards and 25 touchdown passes, rushing 891 yards and 6 touchdowns, and only 9 interceptions.
Daniels and the Commanders face the Philadelphia Eagles for the National Football Conference Championship on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, and he reportedly is only the sixth rookie quarterback to start in a conference title.
Still, no rookie starting quarterback has gone on to the Super Bowl. Should Daniels make it, he will be the first.
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