Jayden Daniels sends out early challenge to Broncos' Pat Surtain II

Travis Wakeman

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Jayden Daniels sends out early challenge to Broncos' Pat Surtain II image

When you're the best, you often want to go against the best. Those are the most exciting matchups for fans of professional sports. 

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who took the league by storm last year and was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, appeared at a Fanatics Fan Fest in New York City recently. When asked which cornerback he was most excited to face this coming season, he gave an answer that not many may have been expecting. 

Daniels selected Pat Surtain II, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The Denver Broncos and Commanders play each other just once every four years, but Daniels knows the teams will square off this coming season. Apparently, Daniels likes a challenge. 

Surtain, widely considered the best cornerback in the league, had a great 2024 season. According to Pro Football Focus, his 85.1 coverage grade was No. 1 in the league and he routinely shuts down the opposition's No. 1 receiver. 

Daniels had arguably the best rookie season the league has ever seen and he will come into year two overflowing with confidence. Many quarterbacks today avoid Surtain's side of the field, but Daniels could easily be the opposite and decide to come right at him. 

Though the teams won't face off for several months, it helps set the stage for what will be one of the more intriguing games on the Broncos' schedule this season. 

The Broncos and Commanders will meet in Week 13 at Northwest Stadium. The game will be played on Sunday Night Football and both teams will be coming off their bye week. 

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Travis Wakeman

Travis Wakeman has been covering the NFL since 2012 when he started with Bleacher Report. After reporting about the Broncos there until 2016, he joined the FanSided network as a site expert covering the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers while simultaneously covering the Broncos at Broncos Wire when that site launched. He then took over the Broncos site at FanSided in March 2020 and covered the team there until spring of 2024. A lifelong Broncos fan and fan of the game, Travis is filled with sometimes useless NFL knowledge, but it always serves him well in any trivia contest. You can follow him on Twitter/X @traviswakeman10.