Rookie Quarterback Starting Debut
Undrafted Rookie Jalon Daniels Named Starting Quarterback for Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels is set to make his first NFL start for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Green Bay Packers after Baker Mayfield dislocated his throwing-hand thumb in a Week 3 loss and was ruled out for at least three weeks. Daniels won Tampa Bay’s backup job with a strong preseason, completing 27 of 44 passes for 239 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions, and adding a rushing touchdown. His NFL debut ended with an interception on a last-play Hail Mary, but his promotion makes him the first Kansas quarterback to start an NFL game since Frank Seurer in 1987. The 0-3 Buccaneers are counting on the former Jayhawk to step in while Mayfield recovers.
Key Points
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Daniels beat out Jake Browning and Conner Bazelak for the backup role after entering camp fourth on Tampa Bay’s depth chart; the Buccaneers initially kept only two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster and are expected to add another for depth.
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Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles praised Daniels’ preseason play and said, “He’s very bright,” adding that the rookie would have “22 other guys out there helping him out.”
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Daniels started all 12 games for Kansas in 2025, throwing for 2,531 yards and 22 touchdowns while adding 404 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns; he became only the second player in program history to surpass 10,000 total yards.
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Daniels produced two game-winning drives in the preseason, but his development remains a work in progress: one report noted that he still needs time to adjust mentally to the speed of the professional game and master Tampa Bay’s system.
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