Jayden Daniels' mother, Robert Griffin III plead with fans to stop 'manifesting' comparison

The Washington Commanders entered the 2025 season with immense hope. Many believed the franchise had turned a corner, but it now looks like they’re facing a difficult couple of games without quarterback Jayden Daniels.

He suffered a right hamstring injury in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys. It’s latest setback during a difficult sophomore season for the former Heisman winner, and it sparked fans drawing comparisons between his early-career injuries and those that derailed Robert Griffin III’s once-promising tenure in our nation’s capital.

Griffin’s career with the franchise was infamously cut short by injuries following a torrid start to his rookie season. The most famous instance was the devastating knee injury during the playoffs of his rookie season, when he tore his ACL, LCL and meniscus against the Seattle Seahawks. He never truly looked the same after that.

As fate would have it, those painful memories in Washington led some fans to express concern that Daniels could suffer a similar fate. However, the quarterback’s mother had a firm message for those circulating the comparison.

“I wish you would stop manifesting RGIII on my son,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Words are powerful and that’s all that’s talked about.”

Of course, her post quickly went viral, and it would draw attention from none other than Griffin himself. Instead of taking it to heart, he responded with empathy and encouragement for both Daniels and his family.

“I have always supported Jayden Daniels and want nothing but the best for him,” Griffin wrote. “Being QB1 in Washington DC comes with an intense spotlight that I know well. You love your son and the real fans do too. I want a long, healthy career for him. He will always have my support.”

Time will tell if Daniels time in Washington works out better than Griffin’s. After a healthy rookie season, the former LSU star has already missed two games this year due to a sprained left knee, and now he could be sidelined longer depending on the result of his injury sustained in Dallas.

For now, both Griffin and Daniels’ mother are united in hope. They certainly don’t want the talented young quarterback’s career to be defined by injuries, much like Griffin’s. His resilience could be what leads Washington for years to come. However, it remains to be seen how he responds moving forward.