The Washington Commanders' helmets went through a significant makeover this offseason with a look that harkens back to the franchise's glory years. They've looked great on the players going through OTAs, but it wasn't the aesthetics that had reporters paying attention to the quarterbacks' helmets.
Over the last few weeks, Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota and the rest of the quarterbacks on the Commanders' roster have had GoPro cameras strapped to their helmets. It's unclear if they will be permanent fixtures in practice, but for now, the Commanders view them as additional sources of information for installing their new offense.
"It gives another perspective in how to hear things," said Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. "We'll continue to work with it now and through the next week and then we can decide what days [and] how do we want to work it? But I'm encouraged by it so far."
Multiple NFL teams have used GoPro cameras to analyze practice in the past. The Minnesota Vikings used the cameras during the 2024 season, providing then-starting quarterback Sam Darnold with another tool to improve his ability to make calls at the line of scrimmage and dissect defenses. The New York Jets attached cameras to their quarterback room's helmets, and the Miami Dolphins implemented the technology when Tua Tagovailoa was their starter.
It was new offensive coordinator David Blough's idea for the Commanders to try out the cameras this offseason, and they have provided insight into multiple areas of their new scheme. They do help some with getting a better sense of what the quarterbacks are seeing on the field from their point of view. The coaches and quarterbacks watching the film later in the day can see how quickly they're breaking down the secondary and going through their progressions.
But the audio is where the Commanders get the most benefit from the cameras. Every NFL team has overhead cameras filming practice, but they don't pick up sounds on the field. The GoPros do, and it's been helpful for the quarterbacks to hear the calls they make in the huddle and checks at the line of scrimmage.
"I've done that before with players into practice," Quinn said. "This is another side of that. Who is communicating? How are they communicating it? It's more effective in the passing game on like shorter and intermediate routes. So, let's see where we can take it. But there's definitely some value to it."
It's important for the Commanders to make sure their quarterbacks, particularly Daniels, are as comfortable as possible in their new scheme. In some ways, it's a drastic departure from the previous system under Kliff Kingsbury, who had the Commanders using a no-huddle, Air Raid style that required shorter play calls on the field. Blough's system, which has elements from offenses used by Detroit Lions head coach Ben Johnson and Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell, requires longer calls and for the quarterbacks to be under center more often.
It's worth noting, however, that Daniels has looked natural in the new offense. He's responded well to the changes, and that has pleased Blough and the rest of the offensive staff.
"He's bought in completely, and it's the same work ethic," Blough said. "It's the same young man that you guys have grown to know and love, and it's been cool to ask him to do something different and watch him soak that in as well, because you guys have seen some of the excellent parts of his game, and our goal is for you to see other excellent parts of his game as well. So, he has fully embraced that and gone for it."
Daniels already had several tools to help him develop, from the immersive virtual reality that he uses to Mariota's veteran leadership. The cameras have now been folded into that plan, and while the Commanders haven't committed to using them past this offseason, they helped him take the first steps in mastering a system the team believes will elevate his skill set.
"Just to try to implement the things that we've been imparting on him," Blough said when asked how Daniels has adjusted to the offense. "And that's who he is, and we are excited about where he is at. There's so much more room for growth. And that's the fun challenge as the coach getting to show him a different way to do things and he has responded really well."
