Back in August, one story made it clear that Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels isn’t just a rising star on the field. He’s already leaving a mark off it. Fans love him so much that some are naming their babies after him.

Daniels found out about it during a media session. He was in pure disbelief. “Nah, I can’t even lie. Nah, I did not,” Daniels said when asked if he could imagine his community impact. “I would say it’s cool. But just the impact I want to leave for sure… outside of just me being a football player, as a role model and somebody in the community, that’s kind of the biggest thing, but to have somebody name a baby after me is kind of crazy.”

The moment cemented Daniels as more than just a quarterback—he’s becoming a cultural figure in Washington. And as if that wasn’t enough, another viral story soon followed, giving fans even more reason to laugh and debate.

A video posted on X by @NFL_DovKleiman featured a Commanders cheerleader who looked, at least to some, exactly like Daniels. The caption was simple but effective: “This Commander’s cheerleader has gone viral for looking exactly like star QB Jayden Daniels.” The internet did the rest.

The joke hit even harder because Daniels wasn’t playing. He was on the sidelines, nursing a knee injury from a matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

The timing made it almost too good to be true. Was the second-year QB secretly moonlighting as a cheerleader while sidelined? Fans ran with the gag, and the memes practically wrote themselves.

Not everyone bought into the resemblance, though. Some Daniels loyalists pushed back hard, insisting the two looked nothing alike.

But the opposing camp doubled down, claiming that if Daniels lost a few pounds, put on the same outfit, and wore full makeup, the comparison would be undeniable.

Either way, the debate made for one of the funnier viral moments of Washington’s season, showing just how quickly Daniels’ name, and face, has taken over the league conversations.

An update on Jayden Daniels’ injury

Jayden Daniels’ knee injury has quickly become the biggest storyline in Washington, overshadowing everything else about the Commanders’ strong start. After his electric rookie season, expectations for year two were sky-high. But those plans have been slowed by the sprain he suffered against Green Bay.

He missed the Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, and head coach Dan Quinn admitted that his return remains uncertain, calling him “week-to-week.”

The Commanders know they can’t risk further damage to their franchise quarterback, especially after durability concerns followed Daniels into the NFL.

Last season’s rib fracture already forced him to play through pain, and this year’s knee issue has sidelined him for two straight games.

While Daniels has insisted, he feels ready, Quinn emphasized that clearance will only come once the medical staff is confident. “He’s working as hard as he can to come back from it. He’s putting all the work in,” the HC said.

In his absence, veteran backup Marcus Mariota has kept the team afloat. He looked sharp in the 41-24 blowout over the Raiders, completing 15 of 21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown while adding 40 rushing yards.

Washington has gone 2-1 in games Daniels hasn’t played significantly. But with Atlanta up next, the question looms: can they keep winning without their QB1, or will Daniels’ absence finally catch up to them?