The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are sitting at a brutal 0-3 right now, and things just got wilder. They’re officially handing the keys to undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels for the next three weeks. Baker Mayfield’s thumb injury is keeping him sidelined, a massive curveball for a team already drowning. Bucs fans are left wondering what in the heck is happening with their season.
From Hail Mary Interception to Starting QB
Can you believe it? Daniels’ entire NFL career so far consists of a mere 33 seconds of play. His debut came last Sunday after Mayfield got hurt in that 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. What did we see? One scramble for 9 yards, three missed pass attempts, and a Hail Mary interception that sealed the deal for the Vikes. Talk about a tough welcome. This team just gave Mayfield a $165 million extension, and now they’re questioning if that was the right move, or if this season is already lost. It’s a crazy situation. To Daniels’ credit, he won the Bucs’ QB2 job outright in training camp. The team kept only him and Mayfield on the roster, clearly seeing something.
The College Rollercoaster: Highs, Lows, and Turnovers
So, who exactly is Jalon Daniels? He turns 24 next month and spent six years grinding it out in college. He knows about tough spots, getting thrown into a winless Kansas Jayhawks team as a freshman in 2020. Results were predictable: he lost all six starts, tossing one touchdown and four interceptions. He dealt with three major injuries, including a back issue in 2023. Despite that, Daniels had some seriously high moments. After losing the starting job his sophomore year, he came back to lead Kansas to a 37-point scoring average in three starts, even pulling off a wild 57-56 win at Texas in 2021. He won the job again in 2022, leading KU to five straight wins before another injury sidelined him. He even came back late that season to deliver a massive 544-yard, five-touchdown passing game in a triple-overtime loss to Arkansas.
He finished his college career with 9,282 passing yards, a 67-31 TD-INT ratio, plus 1,445 rushing yards and 23 more scores. When healthy, this guy was a dual-threat menace, even getting Heisman buzz in 2022. But, yeah, there were warts. Turnovers were a real issue, especially later. In his first 25 games, he coughed up the ball 15 times and threw 12 picks. Then, in his final 24 games, it got worse: 18 fumbles and 19 interceptions. He’s got an NFL arm, but ball placement and curious decisions plagued him.
Can this undrafted rookie, with a wild college career and just 33 seconds of NFL experience, actually keep the 0-3 Buccaneers afloat until Mayfield comes back? That’s a sky-high order. The Bucs are still searching for their first win of the season, and it’s all on Daniels’ shoulders now. Everyone will be watching to see if he can shock the league.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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