When the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders take to the field on Sunday night in Week 17, they will make some surprising NFL history. The game in Washington will feature two first-round rookie quarterbacks squaring off.
Somewhat incredibly, the matchup between Atlanta’s Michael Penix and Washington’s Jayden Daniels will mark the first time in NFL history that two first-round rookies start in the same game. NBS Sports pointed out the unlikely fact with a great graphic on social media to help promote the game on the network.
There have been a couple of instances where two first-round rookies have gone against one another in the same game, most recently Baker Mayfield vs. Sam Darnold back in 2018. In that game, Darnold started for the New York Jets but Baker Mayfield came off the bench to replace Tyrod Taylor for Cleveland.