‘This is Awesome,’ ‘This Is What Football’s About’ — NFL Fans Moved as Jalon Daniels Shares Spotlight With His Mom After Bucs’ Win vs. Cowboys
Jalon Daniels has taken an unexpected path to the NFL. After six seasons at Kansas, he entered the league as an undrafted free agent and joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a backup to Baker Mayfield. But Mayfield’s thumb injury thrust Daniels into the starting role just weeks into the regular season.
After throwing two interceptions in his first NFL start against Green Bay in Week 4, Daniels responded with a much cleaner performance against Dallas, helping the Buccaneers secure a 24-16 upset. After the win, Daniels shared an emotional postgame moment with his mother, drawing warm reactions from NFL fans.
NFL Fans React to Jalon Daniels’ Emotional Moment With His Mom After Tampa Bay Win
In his second career start, Daniels completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown while adding 23 rushing yards. After throwing two interceptions against Green Bay, he protected the ball against Dallas as the Buccaneers capitalized on three Cowboys turnovers to secure their first win of the season.
After the game, Daniels joined Amazon Prime Video’s postgame show for an interview. When he spotted his mother nearby, he called her over to join him at the desk.
“Ma, come here. Ma, come here,” Daniels said as he invited his mother to join him. Sitting beside him, she struggled to put the moment into words.
“It’s indescribable. This moment is so big. I’m speechless. I’m so proud of you. I am so proud of you. This is amazing,” she then said.
The moment was touching for those watching it, as one fan exclaimed, “This is EVERYTHING!!”
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The moment also carried added significance because of the sacrifices Star Daniels has made to support her son.
The official account of the JP Peterson show revealed, “This was so cool! Jaylon’s mom, Star, had surgery two weeks ago, but made it to his first start last week, and now his first win this week.”
Moreover, they added, “She worked three jobs to keep him in sports and give him great educational opportunities. It’s pretty obvious where he gets his positive attitude and work ethic.”
Looking at the raw emotions and happiness on their faces, one fan added, “This is what football is about.”
Anotherfan said, “this is awesome,” while another fan added, “Ok this is heartwarming!! Good for him.”
For the time being, it looks like the Buccaneers are going to stick with Daniels as their starting quarterback, at least until Mayfield returns. After a rough debut, he seems to have found firmer footing in the league.
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And after cutting down on the turnovers and leading them to their first win of the season, there is a possibility that he, at the very least, keeps them afloat for the time being.
The win is also a major early milestone in an unlikely NFL journey. Sharing it with the mother who helped him pursue football and education made the moment even more meaningful.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
