Jayden Daniels mom reacts after Commanders star wears special flag on his helmet to honor great grandmother

Jayden Daniels is sporting a new look on his helmet this season.

The Washington Commanders star led his team to an opening day win over their NFC East rival New York Giants and did so with a Japanese flag decal in tribute to his heritage with his great grandmother of Japanese descent.

During Daniels’ stellar rookie season which saw him take the Commanders to the NFC Championship game, named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and selected to the Pro Bowl, it was just the American flag on his helmet

But now in his sophomore campaign, Daniels – one of five players who will wear a gold NFL shield on his jersey this season after winning the OROTY award – has opted to also sport the flag of Japan on the back of his helmet as well, much to the initial confusion of many.

The Commanders QB threw for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions on his way to rallying Washington all the way to the NFC title showdown where they were blown out 55-23 to the eventual Super Bowl winners, the Philadelphia Eagles.

It has since been revealed that Daniels’ maternal great grandmother is of Japanese descent, and he has added the decal to his helmet as a nod to her roots and identity on the field.

JP Finlay of NBC4 Sports in DC, Maryland and Virginia, giving the context and back story on why he was wearing the Japanese flag in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Daniels’ mother and agent, Regina, all but confirmed this.

Quote tweeting Finlay’s post about it, she responded with two emojis, one of a red heart and the other of the hands making a heart, underlining her pride in her son’s decision.

To kick off their 2025 season, the Commanders hosted the New York Giants at Northwest Stadium.

Daniels picked up where he left off by tallying 301 total yards and a touchdown to secure the Burgundy and Gold’s 21-6 victory over their NFC East division rivals.

fter the contest, the 24-year-old gave his own – albeit very brief – account of why he has chosen to wear the flag of Japan for this season.

“My great grandmother is Japanese so I’m showing love to her,” he said.

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Why do NFL players where flags on their helmet?

The NFL allows players to represent their nationality and/or cultural heritage on the back of their helmets with custom decals of their respective nation’s flag (or flags).

This was first allowed by the league in 2022, although it was only during specific weeks of the season, a policy which continued into the 2023 campaign.

However, the rules were changed from the 2024 season, with players now able to wear the flags indefinitely, though players who also wear the American flag must have the Star-Spangled Banner positioned at the top.

Last season, over 450 players and coaches represented 73 different countries, including 19 African nations, across all 32 teams.

Daniels will hope to continue his Week 1 success when the Commanders have a quick turnaround.

They face the Green Bay Packers – and their $188million new star pass rusher Micah Parsons – on Thursday Night Football to begin Week 2.

The Packers were also winners on the opening weekend of the season, chalked up a hugely impressive 27-13 win over their NFC North rivals the Detroit Lions.

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