LANDOVER, Md. – As Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, still wearing his burgundy uniform, sat down at a table for his postgame press conference, he smiled and said something that shouldn’t have surprised anyone after his performance in the playoffs.

“I’m tired,” he said. “But I’m happy.”

It can be so bad for a rookie to take a franchise to the playoffs and have their best season in years. But that’s exactly what Daniels did: His 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz in overtime gave Washington a 30-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons and secured a playoff spot.

“He just wanted it,” Washington coach Dan Quinn said of Daniels.

Daniels threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another 127 yards. He became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least two touchdowns, throw for at least 200 yards and rush for at least 65 yards in three consecutive games. He now has 25 touchdown passes.

Daniels also converted three fourth downs, one with his legs and two with his arm – including a 7-yard scoring pass on fourth-and-2 in the first quarter.

All of those yards and three touchdowns were needed on Sunday night. But because Daniels did what he did, Washington (11-5) won 11 games for the first time since the 1991 season, which was also the last time the franchise won the Super Bowl. The Commanders are currently seeded No. 6 and can clinch that spot by beating Dallas in the Finals or if Green Bay loses to Chicago.

Washington last made the playoffs in 2020 and has not won a postseason game since the 2005 season. But also thanks to Daniels, the commanders will start full of confidence

“We just won,” said punter Tress Way, who joined the team in 2015 and is the longest-serving commander. “I mean, we have 11 wins. What? … It helps when you have the number 5 on your team. The guy is damn good.”

Washington won just four games last season but hired general managers Adam Peters and Quinn to rebuild the team. Quinn said he doesn’t consider this a rebuild and said he prefers the word “recalibration.”

But with Daniels, the word “accelerated” seemed to be used. He quickly established himself among his teammates due to his work habits and on-field skills.

“It comes down to having a really good quarterback in this league,” Ertz said. “And from the moment I got here and saw Jayden out there, I kept saying this guy is not someone who’s going to be good, he’s good now.”

“And when you have this position in this league, you have a chance. This organization is in a great position for the years to come.”

It was the third straight game Washington won on the last play from scrimmage. It prevented a two-point conversion to win against New Orleans; Daniels threw a touchdown pass to cap a deficit of 14 to Philadelphia, and then Sunday night happened. Daniels also beat the New York Giants in Week 2 with a late field goal drive and the Bears in Week 7 with a Hail Mary.

Against the Falcons, Daniels led a 70-yard drive that began with a false start penalty by running for 42 yards and throwing for 32.

“He’s the most mature rookie I’ve ever been around. “He exudes a calm confidence,” Ertz said. “He’s not a rach-rah type. We all know how good he is and how much trust we have in him. He doesn’t have to say anything.”

Washington signed players like Ertz and linebacker Bobby Wagner in the offseason to provide leadership. It signed linebacker Frankie Luvu to make big plays. But the Commanders also received key contributions from players like receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, who has 43 receptions, including eight on Sunday night.

These players joined a franchise that has been through a lot in recent years – and decades. Washington hadn’t had a winning season since 2016. The NFL and then Congress investigated the organization for what it called a toxic work culture under previous owner Dan Snyder. The team made much more news off the field than on the field.

But Snyder sold to Josh Harris in July 2023 and began a franchise transformation after a 4-13 season.

“It’s special to experience what this team has experienced the last three years,” said fourth-year tight end John Bates. “We just have a team that doesn’t shy away. This is really a special deal.”

After the win, safety Jeremy Reaves brought his girlfriend Mikaela Worley onto the field, where he proposed in front of a wall of cameras. She said yes.

The whole night turned out to be meaningful for him. After all, he has been with the franchise since 2018.

“It’s a great feeling to be on the other side of things,” he said.

Wagner played for a number of good teams in Seattle, winning one Super Bowl while losing another. He signed a one-year deal in the offseason to reunite with Quinn, who was his defensive coordinator for two years with the Seahawks.

As the team went through camp, Wagner felt a bond developing.

“You could see that it grew over the course of the season,” said Wagner. “When a lot of people have confidence and believe in each other, it makes the team scary.”