Jayden Daniels had a clear message for Stefon Diggs after the Washington Commanders lost 24-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Diggs caught a fourth-quarter touchdown that brought Washington within two points, but his decision to hug the goalpost after scoring brought a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Daniels said the team needed to be smarter in that situation, while Diggs admitted he had made a costly mistake.
Jayden Daniels calls out Stefon Diggs after costly Commanders celebration
The Commanders were finally finding some life late in the game when Daniels connected with Diggs for a 10-yard touchdown. The score cut Philadelphia’s lead to 17-15 with 9:59 left, putting Washington in position to go for two and tie the game.Then Diggs ran toward the goalpost and jumped up to hug it.The celebration led to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, moving Washington back 15 yards. Instead of trying a two-point conversion from its normal spot, the Commanders had to kick the extra point. The Eagles still led 17-16, and Washington later missed a two-point attempt with 1:01 left before Philadelphia held on for the win. The Philadelphia Eagles’ official game recap confirmed that the penalty forced Washington to settle for the extra point.Daniels did not put the blame only on Diggs. The quarterback said he also should have reminded his teammates about the situation before the play.“We just have to be smart,” Daniels said. “There’s a time and place for everything and celebrations. I’m pretty sure at that point we would’ve gone for two, had to settle for the extra point.”Head coach Dan Quinn also confirmed that Washington planned to go for two before the penalty changed the situation. That made Diggs’ celebration even more frustrating because the Commanders had a chance to tie the game much earlier.Still, the penalty was not the only reason Washington lost. The Commanders eventually got another chance to tie the game, but their two-point attempt failed with just over a minute remaining. Philadelphia then recovered Washington’s onside kick attempt and finished the 24-22 win.
Stefon Diggs admits he forgot the NFL goalpost celebration rule
Diggs did not try to defend what happened. Instead, the veteran receiver accepted responsibility and explained that the celebration came from an old habit.“As soon as I wrapped my arms around it, I was like, ‘Oh, I forgot,’” Diggs told reporters. “Back in the day, I’ve been playing for a long time, you used to could do that. I’ve got to be better.”Diggs’ touchdown was his first for Washington after joining the Commanders, making the celebration understandable from an emotional point of view. But the NFL no longer allows players to use the goalpost as part of a celebration, and the officials immediately flagged him for it.According to NBC Sports, Diggs said he took “full accountability” for the mistake. The report also noted that he knew almost immediately that the celebration would bring a penalty.For Daniels, the bigger lesson was about knowing the game situation. Washington was chasing a two-point deficit against the defending NFC champions, so every decision mattered.Daniels also made it clear that he was willing to share responsibility rather than simply blame his new receiver.“We gotta know situations, situational football,” Daniels said. “That’s on me for not reiterating that in the huddle.”The Commanders now turn their attention to Week 2, when Daniels and Washington will face the Dallas Cowboys. After such a narrow opening-day loss, the Diggs penalty will be one of the moments the team will want to handle better next time.
