Commanders’ Daniels, Wagner ready to feel California love during game against Chargers

Commanders stars Jayden Daniels and Bobby Wagner are heading home this weekend to take on the Chargers in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Don’t call Washington’s offensive and defensive signal-callers L.A. natives, though. 

“Inland Empire,” Daniels quickly corrected a reporter this week. 

Visiting the Chargers’ SoFi Stadium, which they share with the Los Angeles Rams, will still be a homecoming. 

The Southern California roots run deep for Daniels, Washington’s quarterback, and linebacker Wagner. The pair grew up as fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers, and their shared hometown helped them become fast friends when they joined the Commanders in 2024. 

Their stalls now share a corner in the overhauled locker room at the Commanders’ training facility. In 18 months as teammates, the duo has developed a brotherly rapport. 

Daniels is expected to return for Sunday’s game after missing two weeks with a knee sprain.

“You have a player like that, person like that, a human; it’s always great to have him back,” Wagner said. “He’s electrifying.”

The mutual respect manifests in other ways, typically casual ribbing.

When they aren’t showering praise on each other, Wagner will mock Daniels for not reading enough books. The quarterback retaliates by questioning his linebacker’s basketball acumen.

Earlier this season, when Wagner heard that Daniels had been offering shorter answers to media, the linebacker started calling his quarterback “Jayden Belichick.” The reference to the media-averse former coach of the New England Patriots drew a wry smile from the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner.

The tight-knit friendship began when they exchanged phone numbers for the first time and realized they started with the same digits.

“We both have the same area code on our phone, the 909,” Daniels said. “So, that was kind of just the icebreaker, and then you kind of just figure out little things from there.”

The Inland Empire connection — the area immediately east of Los Angeles County — gave the seasoned veteran and the top draft pick something to bond over. It also gave them quick reference points for each other. 

“Us being from the same area — the I.E. — and knowing what he went through to get where he’s at and his humility, it was easy to just click,” Wagner said. 

Now in his 14th season, Wagner still treasures the chance to head home for a game. Even a season spent with the Rams in 2022 hasn’t removed the novelty. 

“Anytime I get to play at home in California, it’s fun,” he said. “My mom’s buried there, so it’s always cool.”

Wagner and Daniels are both expecting legions of friends and family at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. After watching the Commanders’ last two games from the sideline, the second-year quarterback is especially eager to perform in his old stomping ground. 

“It would mean the world,” Daniels said. “I plan on having a lot of people attend the game, so that is the hometown and be able to play back in my hometown as a pro, it would mean everything.”

Daniels last played in Southern California in 2021. Then a sophomore at Arizona State, he threw for 286 yards and two touchdowns in a win over UCLA. A repeat performance would be a promising return in the dual-threat passer’s first game back from injury.

The 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year sported a brace during practice this week but was cagey about whether he’ll wear the device against the Chargers.

“I’m not the biggest fan of it, but if that’s what I have to wear, then I’ll do anything possible,” he told reporters. “But we’ll see on Sunday.”

Wagner and Daniels aren’t the only Commanders ready to feel the California love. General manager Adam Peters, tight end Colson Yankoff and rookie linebackers Kain Medrano and Ale Kaho are all UCLA products with rich ties to the region. 

“It’s going to be fun. I got a lot of family back there, so it’ll be good to see family members,” Kaho said. “I’m really excited to be back on the West Coast, closer to home, lot more family coming in.” 

He hasn’t been back since joining the Commanders as an undrafted free agent in May. 

“Wanted to do that on purpose, just to stay focused,” he said, noting plans to maintain that energy on Sunday. “Just planning to go back on the West Coast and get another win.”

It’ll be a tilt between two injury-addled teams in Los Angeles. Commanders wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown and Deebo Samuel all missed practice time with various maladies this week. McLaurin and Brown appeared likely to miss another game, while Samuel could play as the top option for Daniels. 

The Chargers could be without three starters on the offensive line. Left tackle Rashawn Slater is out for the season after suffering a torn patellar tendon in August. Fellow tackle Joe Alt, who moved from the right side of the line to the left after Slater’s injury, is expected to miss Sunday’s game with an ankle issue. 

Chargers right guard Mekhi Becton was limited in practice this week as he works through the concussion protocol. 

The New York Giants hit Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert 12 times in last week’s upset win over Los Angeles. The Chargers are looking to avoid a repeat when the Commanders come to town. 

“Like every other week, we want to do our job, we want to do it effectively and show up for our QB, our backs and go out there and play,” Jamaree Salyer, a backup lineman who could start for the Chargers, told the team’s website.

The 2-2 Commanders kick off against the 3-1 Chargers at 4:25 p.m. Eastern time Sunday.