Daniels, Williams Make NFL Preseason Debuts

Heisman-winning NFL rookie quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels got to take their new offenses out for a spin for the first time on Saturday, test-driving their respective playbooks and experiencing the football version of that new car smell.

Williams, the 2022 Heisman winner, did not play in Chicago’s first preseason game on Aug. 1, but got behind the wheel of the Bears’ offense this weekend and completed 4-of-7 passes for 95 yards — including a 42-yard completion — and also scrambled 13 yards for a first down. Two of his incompletions were dropped passes.

Williams, who was seeing his first on-field action since Nov. 18 while still at USC, led Chicago into the red zone on both of his drives to start the game, impressing his teammates and coaches.

“It’s the fruits of his labor,” Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus said. “He’s been working his tail off in practices and even before that, all through the summer. It’s good to be able to say that hey, all this drill work, all the things I’ve been doing, it’s paying off and I can see the improvements. We’re going to look at this tape and look back and say, what can I learn from this? There’s a lot of things you can learn from this process in getting these reps, as he does in practice when he’s going against the 1 defense.”

Daniels, meanwhile, started Washington’s first preseason game and also looked strong in his debut, leading the Commanders to a game-opening touchdown drive in his only action on the day.

He connected on passes of 42 and 3 yards to get Washington into the red zone and finished the drive with this 3-yard touchdown run, handing the ball to his mom in the stands after the play.

“Jayden, I thought, had just a real command of things,” Washington Head Coach Dan Quinn said. “It was a great first day for him.” 

Daniels’ fellow 2023 Heisman Trophy finalists got their feet wet over the weekend as well.

Bo Nix saw considerable action in his preseason debut for Denver and completed 15-of-21 passes for 125 yards and a score. Michael Penix Jr., also got a long look for Atlanta, completing 9-of-16 passes for 104 yards while directing a pair of scoring drives.

Marvin Harrison Jr., however, saw just three snaps on one series for Arizona without a ball thrown his way.

Most veteran Heisman winners were not surprisingly held out of the first week of preseason play, but 2019 winner Joe Burrow was not among them.

Burrow saw his first live NFL snaps since his 2023 season-ending wrist injury and completed 5-of-7 passes for 51 yards and this touchdown pass.

Additionally, 2016 winner Jameis Winston, a backup with Cleveland now, started the Browns’ exhibition opener and completed 4-of-5 passes.