Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Jalon Daniels will make the first start of his career on Sunday as he goes under center for an injured Baker Mayfield.
Now, before we get to that, let’s remember that the NFL world is filled with cliches. Players and coaches love saying, “We gotta take it one quarter at a time,” “Each week is a season,” “We’re trying to go 1-0 each week” – well, you get the picture.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels passes against the Minnesota Vikings during the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on Sept. 27, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Well, the former Kansas Jayhawks star dropped a new one on Wednesday as he talked to reporters ahead of the Buccaneers’ Week 4 game against the Green Bay Packers. He was asked if he was going to be able to stay calm when it’s his turn to take the field.
“Absolutely. I think that one thing I learned in college was, you can’t be the thermometer, you have to be the thermostat,” he said. “You have to be someone who comes in and is able to set the temperature of the room, not test the room and try to be able to blend in with it. If a team is low, I have to be able to pick it up to be able to make sure that they’re even.
“If we’re high, then I have to be able to be low to be able to make sure that we’re even. I try to be as even-keel as possible. I think that being able to go out there and have that even-keeled feel, the team around you feels that.”
Love it when a new cliché drops, especially one you can use randomly in everyday life.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels huddles with teammates during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on Sept. 27, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
But there’s another cliché to use when it comes to the Buccaneers’ Week 4 game – “must win.”
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It’s usually reserved for a team that is vying for a playoff spot. However, for Tampa Bay, it’s used here to save the season. The Buccaneers face the stark reality of dropping to 0-4 and a Mount Everest-type climb to get back into contention with Mayfield out for the next three weeks at least with a dislocated right thumb.
Daniels will get a real shot to show what he’s made of against the Packers.
“For us, it’s just trying to get a win,” coach Todd Bowles said when asked about trying to get a win. “(Jalon Daniels) is not playing by himself. Everybody has to do their job. We’ve got to coach it the right way on both sides of the ball, including special teams. He’s got to play and just do his job.
“We’ve got 21 other guys that (are) going to be out there playing with him, so he’s not by himself. It’s (a) nervous (feeling) but it’s exciting at the same time because you get to see somebody play. No matter where you come from, your first NFL game has to come at some point, whether you’re a first-round pick or whether you’re a free agent. You’ve got to touch the field for the first time at some point, and then you’ve got to play. He’s just got to play.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels runs the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third quarter during preseason at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., on Aug. 28, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Of course, Daniels tapped Mayfield for some advice before the pivotal matchup.
“He simply put it as: you’ve been dreaming of this opportunity, just stay composed, play as yourself,” Daniels said. “Don’t try to be anybody else besides you, and go out there and just go make football plays.”
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The way the Bucs look this season – it’s easier said than done.