Jalon Daniels will make his second NFL start on Thursday, October 8, when the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Dallas Cowboys, head coach Todd Bowles said after Sunday’s 17–14 home loss to the Green Bay Packers.
The decision keeps the undrafted rookie under center on a short week while Baker Mayfield recovers from a dislocated right thumb. Bowles said Mayfield’s recovery timeline has not changed, and the team expects its starter to sit out at least two more games. At 0–4, Tampa Bay is still looking for its first win.
Bowles did not oversell the debut. “He had some ups and he had some downs, but for his first time out there, he didn’t panic,” the coach said after the game.
How Daniels fared against Green Bay
Daniels completed 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards against the Packers, with one touchdown and two interceptions, and he was sacked three times for 14 yards. He was also the Buccaneers’ second-leading rusher, gaining 55 yards on eight carries with a long run of 21.
His touchdown came on the opening play of the fourth quarter, a 10-yard throw to running back Kenny Gainwell that pulled Tampa Bay within 17–14. The other Buccaneers score was Sean Tucker’s 2-yard run in the second quarter, a drive helped along by a 21-yard sideline completion from Daniels to receiver Ted Hurst III. The offense did not score again, and the Buccaneers finished with 275 total yards to Green Bay’s 283. The full numbers are in the Packers–Buccaneers Game Center.
Daniels said afterward that he had read the coverage correctly on both interceptions and that the mistakes came from where he put the ball. He also said he felt settled from the start. Hurst backed his quarterback: “He gave us what we needed. He gave us an opportunity to win.”
An unusual route to the job
Daniels played six seasons at Kansas, went undrafted this spring and won the backup job behind Mayfield in camp. No rookie passer in the league had started a game this season before Sunday, not even any of the 10 chosen in the 2026 draft, and Daniels also became Tampa Bay’s first undrafted rookie quarterback to open a game.
The opening came only because Mayfield’s durability streak ended. He had started 57 straight games for Tampa Bay, playoffs included, since arriving in 2023. Adam Schefter reported before Sunday’s game that the timing of Mayfield’s return depends on when he can grip a football properly again. Easton Stick was the backup against Green Bay, and veteran Brett Rypien joined the practice squad after Mayfield was hurt. Injury updates for both teams are on our injury report.
What comes next
The Buccaneers play at the Cowboys on Thursday, October 8, at 8:15 p.m. EDT. Tampa Bay has not said who would start beyond that game, and Mayfield’s status will be reassessed as his thumb heals.
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