Even as the first week of NFL preseason action takes over, the football world has remained focused on one particular story. As social media has been flooded with memes, it has all stemmed from Jayden Daniels.
Feeling disrespected by his alma mater, the LSU Tigers, the Washington Commanders superstar took direct legal action against them. But for veteran analyst Jason Whitlock, the young quarterback’s problems began with his mother.
Jason Whitlock Remains Unconvinced About Jayden Daniels’ Mother’s Involvement
After a stellar run at LSU, which included winning the prestigious Heisman Trophy, Daniels believed that he’d cemented himself and his jersey number in the program’s history. But this year, cornerback DJ Pickett has been given the No. 5 jersey number for the season.
The move felt extremely disrespectful to Daniels, whose attorneys informed the school that they couldn’t use his name, image, and likeness moving forward. The choice was extremely controversial, as the former Offensive Rookie of the Year got ridiculed for it at every level.
But Whitlock believes the situation represents a larger problem with Daniels. Pointing to the involvement his mother, Regina Jackson, has had in his life with virtually every decision he makes, he first explained how LSU hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Jayden Daniels did not get uniquely snubbed,” Whitlock said. “He got the normal treatment, and normal felt like an insult. What that violated was a feeling. And feelings, when they get a lawyer, to start writing policy for an institution that never agreed to the policy.”
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Then, he turned his attention to Jackson.
Whitlock added, “Regina Jackson, Jayden’s mom, business manager, the woman the internet already knows from the date where she sat in the middle, the wedding moment where she cut in, the interview where she explains her grown son’s personal life, and the clapbacks where she answers critics with ‘I’m a mom that protects my son.’”
The former ESPN sportscaster believed this problem was larger than Daniels and Jackson, but he wanted to use the two of them to make his point about the unnecessary control that his mother had over virtually every aspect of his life.
“Black men are mama’s boys,” Whitlock continued. “Because our upbringings are devoid of two-parent households, we’re programmed to distrust the patriarchy. We’re insecure about our ability to lead. We’re reluctant to surrender to male authority, and we mistake worship of mama as obedience to God.”
As a direct result, he believed it hampered Daniels’ ability and gravitas as a leader of his squad.
It remains to be seen whether the vocal and nearly unanimous criticism against him will force Daniels or Jackson to change their stance. But for the time being, they have become the butt of almost every joke, which could serve as a distraction, not only to the quarterback himself, but to the rest of his locker room as well.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.