As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare to face the Washington Commanders and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels on Thursday Night Football, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is taking a business-like approach and steering clear of dwelling on past viral moments between the two players.
When Daniels was the quarterback at LSU and faced off against Jalen Carter and the Georgia Bulldogs in college, a highlight-reel sack by Carter went viral. In the play, Carter not only brought down Daniels but lifted him off the ground in the process, punctuating it with a celebratory raised finger.
“No, I didn’t show that,” Sirianni told reporters when asked if he had shared the clip with his team. “We utilize all available resources to monitor the players.” I believe that currently, Jayden Daniels has a significant amount of game tape available, which allows us to review and analyze more details from the Georgia versus LSU match. However, I believe we have a comprehensive record of Jayden Daniels’ contributions to this team and their operational procedures.
Sirianni made it clear that the Eagles have done their due diligence in scouting Daniels, but he’s more interested in focusing on the player Daniels has become in the NFL rather than dwelling on their past college matchup.
“So, no, we’ll let you guys show that clip. Obviously it was a good clip, but we’ll let you guys show that good clip. We hold immense respect for both Jayden Daniels and Jalen Carter, and it will be exciting to witness their rematch on the field tomorrow.
Daniels has exceeded expectations in his rookie season, completing 180 passes for 2,147 yards and 9 touchdowns. The Commanders enter this pivotal NFC East showdown with a 7-3 record, firmly in the playoff picture.
Meanwhile, the Eagles boast an 8-1 record and the league’s best defense, anchored by the dominant play of Jalen Carter and the rest of the defensive line. Carter, a first-round pick by the Eagles in 2023, has quickly established himself as one of the most disruptive interior defenders in the NFL.
The two former college rivals are poised for a thrilling matchup, but Sirianni is focusing on the task at hand rather than dwelling on the past. “I hold immense admiration for Jayden Daniels and Jalen Carter, and I am eager to witness their rematch on the field tomorrow,” Sirianni expressed.
The Eagles will look to tap into their firmly established pipeline from the Georgia Bulldogs program, which has already paid dividends with players like Carter, Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, and Kelee Ringo on the roster.
According to a recent prediction by Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News, the Eagles could look to further strengthen that connection by selecting Jalon Walker, another standout pass rusher from Georgia, in the 2025 NFL Draft.
“Walker would continue the fine haul from Kirby Smith’s Bulldogs defense, with Jalen Carter and Nakobe Dean being the latest revelations,” Iyer wrote. “Walker can boost their pass rush, but he also has the versatility to line up on the second level to help vs. the run and in coverage.”
As the Eagles prepare to face Daniels and the Commanders, the focus remains on the task at hand. But the potential to add more elite talent from the Georgia pipeline could make the future even brighter for this Eagles team.