Purchasing a Jayden Daniels jersey should be the easiest thing I’ve ever had to do in the history of my Washington football fandom.But alas, it is not. For reasons that are just as much superstitious as they are post-traumatic, I have yet to be seen in my native District of Columbia rocking the new No. 5 burgundy and gold Washington Commanders jersey. Many others don’t seem to have this problem, though. Daniels’ stellar play has made his jerseyone of the most purchasedin the NFL so far this season. Could it be a case of old No. 5s haunting me? As recent as last season, punter Tress Way was the No. 5 around here — a cruel reminder of the dark days in D.C., when he was one of the Commanders most reliable players. Needless to say the transfer of number, power and designation as Washington’s biggest weapon has been justified…so far. Also, Way has punted so few times this year you almost forget he’s on the team. I wouldn’t blame Way for eating hot dogs on the sideline like another quarterback who probably caused some should-I-buy-his-jersey-or-not stress:Rick Mirer. More fearful fives? How about former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb? Trading an aging franchise quarterback within your own division? If you ever watch a Kansas City Chiefs game and see a snicker underneath Andy Reid’s mustache, he’s probably thinking about that transaction. McNabb was a legend in Philadelphia, but then Washington head coach Mike Shanahan might as well have sent personalized letters to season ticket holders telling them that buying a McNabb Washington jersey wasn’t the best idea (so I never did). But wait. There’s more cinco craziness. Remember Heath Shuler? Drafted right after Marshall Faulk at number three overall in 1994. Big arm. Mobile. So cool in college he wore number 21 as a quarterback at the University of Tennessee (spoiler alert, he didn’t end up the most famous quarterback in Knoxville). Heck, Shuler even autographed a scrap of paper for me at a Blockbuster Video in Ashburn, Va. when I was a teen, which made his stock go way up in my eyes. After showing some promise, Shuler lost the starting quarterback job to Gus Frerotte andhis head-banging ways. The burgundy number five Shuler jersey my parents gifted me? Barely had time to wear it.But it’s not just a number thing that has me hesitant to hand over $130 for a jersey that says “that’s my quarterback.” It’s one long history of drama at the most important position in sports in the most powerful city in the world.Those from the DMV know the story when it comes to Washington quarterbacks. Since 2000 Washington has had twenty-seven (not a misprint) starting quarterbacks. The only consistency was that there was no consistency. Even the glory days of Joe Gibbs were highlighted by the fact that he won three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks: Joe Theisman, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien. Washington has never been a “star quarterback drafted in the first round sticks around for a decade” kind of town. Even perhaps the most beloved Washington quarterback, Sonny Jurgensen, was a Philadelphia Eagle first.Theismann’s 12 years and Slingin’ Sammy Baugh’s 16 years mastering the forward pass seem like untouchable benchmarks after what Washington eyes have witnessed under center the last two decades.Look at the jersey options at quarterback Washingtonians have had in that time. Here are just a few: Trent Green (what could have been). Jeff George (could sling it, I’ll give him that), Brad Johnson (great play-action fake, won a Super Bowl…for Tampa Bay).Tony Banks, Jason Campbell, Mark Brunell, Colt McCoy, Alex Smith, Mark Sanchez (going to be honest, I forgot the Sanchize played here). Rex Grossman. John Beck. Todd Collins. Patrick Ramsey. Tim Hasselbeck. Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel. I could go on. But I won’t.But the truth is, despite the game of musical chairs at quarterback in Washington, it’s really the last quarterback soap opera that put me in a decade-plus jerseyless funk.Heisman Trophy winning star quarterback at a college down south drafted No. 2 overall to Washington? We’ve seen this episode before, back in 2012.Robert Griffin III was the last big arm to give hope to Washington fans the way Daniels is now. Griffin’s rookie year was nothing short of magic, but injuries, coaching clashes and Washington drafting his eventual successor, Kirk Cousins, in the same draft class ended RGIII-mania before it could really begin.I purchased not one but two RGIII jerseys — burgundy and a throwback — and felt a crackle of electricity each time I put them on. I bought books, multiple McFarlane RGIII action figures. I was in deep. But before room for more Lombardi trophies was made, Cousins was the new guy.Buy a Cousins jersey? Well, I could have. And I wanted to. But instead I paid close attention to how Cousins played franchise tag roulette with Washington for years. The writing was on the wall (not the wall Frerotte smashed his head into, another wall). Cousins would not be a career-long Washington quarterback. I was sure of it. And I was right. He’s since played successful stints with the Minnesota Vikings and now the Atlanta Falcons, until Michael Penix is ready. So again, I’m glad I didn’t buy that jersey.The RGIII/Cousins drama had me convinced a healthy fan relationship with my hometown team’s quarterback was out of the question. Imagine going through something so deflating on top of a history of futility at the position, all while Lamar Jackson is lighting it up on the field just an hour away in Baltimore.But then Daniels threw what is for now, the defining touchdown pass of his career to Terry McLaurin to help defeat the Cincinnati Bengals on a Monday night. More highlights followed each week. Then came the national attention. Did I dare get caught up? Of course I did. My collection of Commanders fitted New Era caps doubled from two to four. I instantly ordered the Topps Now card of Daniels commemorating his record for the most accurate passing game ever by a rookie quarterback. I asked Todd McFarlane if he’s going to have any Daniels toys in his next line of NFL action figures (all signs point to maybe). I was looking at shirzy options in burgundy and black. With a winnable game against the Carolina Panthers on deck, I began sizing myself up for a generational purchase. And then Daniels got hurt on the first play of the game against Carolina. He was out of the game a few plays later. The following Monday I might as well have been lighting candles like at the end of an episode of “La Rosa de Guadalupe” as I hoped the news on the injury wasn’t demoralizing to my rekindled love of the Commanders. That same Monday the Topps Now Daniels card arrived. I almost didn’t want to open it, I was so upset. But I ended up opening the card. Just like Daniels is week to week, so too is my desire to buy his jersey and let go of multiple generations of “he’s not the guy.” The purchase is all but imminent. Maybe I’ll wait a few more weeks. Maybe I’ll wait until the end of the season. It’s been a dozen years since I last purchased a Washington quarterback jersey for myself. (I’m not counting the Taylor Heinicke jersey I bought my father as a gift a couple of years ago, at his request. I warned him Heinicke, now a backup for the Los Angeles Chargers, wasn’t likely in Washington’s long-term plans but he didn’t listen and now that jersey is in storage somewhere in Arizona. My father, also a native Washingtonian, should have known better.)Whenever I do finally purchase a Daniels jersey, it will be confirmation that I believe Washington finally has their quarterback of the future in the present. And that day has been a long time coming.The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission.
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