Washington’s 2024 regular-season stats show the clearest difference: Jayden Daniels handled a full-season workload, while Marcus Mariota appeared in three games and did not start. Daniels threw far more passes and carried far more often. Those totals describe their production and opportunities; they do not, by themselves, establish how either quarterback moved through reads, how often a run was designed, or what kinds of throws each preferred.
2024 passing: a starter’s workload versus a brief appearance sample
Daniels completed 331 of 480 passes for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions in Washington’s 2024 regular season. Mariota completed 34 of 44 for 364 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. These are official Washington team statistics for that season (Washington Commanders 2024 regular-season stats).
| Quarterback | Completions/attempts | Completion rate | Passing yards | TDs | Interceptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayden Daniels | 331/480 | 69% | 3,568 | 25 | 9 |
| Marcus Mariota | 34/44 | 77.3% | 364 | 4 | 0 |
Mariota’s higher completion percentage is not a like-for-like accuracy verdict: he attempted 44 passes, compared with Daniels’ 480, and played in three games without starting for Washington. Washington’s retrospective confirms that role context (2024 quarterback position review). A short appearance sample can produce a high rate without demonstrating how it would hold over a full season.
Rushing: Daniels carried much more often
Daniels ran 148 times for 891 yards and six touchdowns; Mariota ran 18 times for 92 yards and one touchdown. Daniels averaged 6.0 yards per carry and Mariota 5.1, according to Washington’s 2024 regular-season statistics.
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| Quarterback | Carries | Rushing yards | Yards per carry | Rushing TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayden Daniels | 148 | 891 | 6.0 | 6 |
| Marcus Mariota | 18 | 92 | 5.1 | 1 |
The volume gap is the more substantial distinction in these totals. The per-carry averages are not equivalent evidence: Mariota’s 5.1 came on only 18 attempts, far fewer than Daniels’ 148. The numbers establish rushing production and frequency of recorded carries, but do not identify which carries were designed runs, scrambles, or the result of a particular defensive look.
What the stats say—and what they cannot establish
On the shared 2024 Washington reference point, Daniels was the quarterback with the full-season passing and rushing workload; Mariota’s contribution came in three appearances as a non-starter. That difference in responsibility shapes every raw-total comparison. Daniels’ larger totals reflect substantially more opportunities, not a controlled head-to-head test of their abilities.
Rank #2
Box-score statistics alone cannot support a detailed technical account of playing style. They do not show pocket movement, progression speed, decision-making, preferred throw depth, or how a quarterback’s runs were called. A film-based comparison would be needed to make those claims responsibly; the season totals should not be stretched into them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to read the comparison beyond 2024
2024 is a useful common-season baseline because both players were on Washington’s roster and the season is complete. NFL.com’s career pages list both with Washington and include 2025 and 2026 season rows, but those figures are time-sensitive; as of October 4, 2026, the 2026 season is in progress. The pages can provide updated season-by-season context, but newer totals should be labeled by season and compared with attention to each player’s role and playing time: Mariota’s NFL.com career stats and Daniels’ NFL.com career stats.
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- Author: Manning, Peyton.Manning, Archie.Underwood, John.Peydirt Inc.
- Publisher: HarperEntertainment
- Pages: 384
- Publication Date: 2001-07-31
- Edition: Reprint
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