The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will start undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels for a third consecutive game in Week 6 when they return home to face the Pittsburgh Steelers.
According to The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero, the Buccaneers believe this could be Daniels’ final start before $165 million quarterback Baker Mayfield returns from a thumb injury for a critical Week 7 game against the Carolina Panthers.
“Bucs QB Baker Mayfield will miss a third consecutive game since dislocating his thumb in Week 3,” Pelissero wrote on his official X account on Saturday morning. “But there’s optimism he’ll return next week — just in time for Tampa Bay’s first division game of the season at Carolina.”
Bucs Determined Mayfield’s Status Early in Week
The Buccaneers aren’t taking any chances on Mayfield’s recovery. He got the stitches out of his thumb last week and tried to throw early this week, which led the Bucs to quickly rule him out against the Steelers.
“Baker Mayfield is NOT practicing today so we can stop speculating,” Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stround wrote on his official X account on October 15. “Jalon Daniels will start vs the Steelers barring something unforeseen.”
“Baker Mayfield working his way back but not there yet,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote on his official X account. “It’ll be Jalon Daniels against the Steelers.”
“Another week as the starter for Jalon Daniels,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account.
Daniels’ play has also been a big reason Mayfield’s return hasn’t been rushed.
Jalon Daniels Led Buccaneers to First Win
Daniels is 1-1 as Tampa Bay’s starter since Mayfield hurt his thumb in the fourth quarter of a Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and the win over the Cowboys lifted the Buccaneers to 1-4 on the season.
It’s a win that may have saved Tampa Bay’s season.
“Since QB starts were first tracked in 1950, only one QB has done the following in each of his first 2 NFL starts: completed 70% of his passes thrown, a TD pass, and rushed for 20+ yards,” OptaStats wrote on its official X account on Thursday night. “That one QB is Jalon Daniels. He was undrafted.”
Daniels also did something against the Cowboys that no one had done in almost 40 years.
“Jalon Daniels is the first undrafted rookie starting QB to beat the Cowboys since 1987 (Washington’s Ed Rubbert),” ESPN Insights wrote on its official X account.
Daniels went 19-of-25 for 189 yards, 1 touchdown, and no interceptions in the win over the Cowboys, plus 23 rushing yards. He was making his 2nd consecutive start after Baker Mayfield hurt his thumb in Week 3.
“Jalon Daniels picked up his first career QB win against the Cowboys on TNF, becoming the fifth undrafted rookie quarterback in the Common Draft Era to win a primetime game,” the NFL wrote on its official X account.
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