The Washington Commanders found out on Sunday that they have a star in the making on their roster. They picked up their first win of the season and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels' first win of his career when they handed the New York Giants a 21-18 loss. But it wasn't the Heisman Trophy winner that had social media talking.
The star in the making and the person that social media took note of was a member of Daniels' family, however. It was his mom, Regina Jackson. A clip of her having a conversation with Commanders limited partner Mark Ein went insanely viral picking up more than 10 million views. From there, the comparisons of mom's game day outfit to a "Pixar Mom" followed. Social media was much more impressed with Mz Jackson, as she's known on Instagram, than they were with her son's performance against a divisional rival in his second NFL game. Mom had social media buzzing.
For his part, Daniels played well. He didn't turn the ball over, and he went 23-of-29 passing for 226 yards while adding 10 carries for 44 yards to the stat sheet. The Commanders did all their scoring in the kicking game with Austin Seibert connecting on all 7 of his field goal attempts. Things don't get much easier for the No. 2 overall pick from here. He's taking on a hungry Cincinnati Bengals team next Monday night who will be coming off of two straight close game losses. You had better believe that's going to be a tough road game for the rookie quarterback. You had also better believe that the scouts on social media will be on the lookout for a repeat "Pixar Mom" performance from Mz Jackson. Welcome to the NFL.
Regina Jackson's viral outfit at the Commanders-Giants game
At the recent Commanders-Giants game, Jayden Daniels' mother, Regina Jackson, captivated attention with her striking outfit, overshadowing the rookie quarterback. Sporting her son's jersey and showing off her legs, she drew attention from fans and players alike, including Commanders owner Mark Ein. Social media buzzed with reactions to her fashion statement, highlighting her ability to steal the spotlight on game day. Meanwhile, Daniels, the talented QB who transferred from Arizona State to LSU, is making waves in the NFL after winning the Heisman Trophy. Despite a rocky start to his season, Daniels has impressive stats backing his performance.
The controversy surrounding Regina Jackson and her alleged recruiting violations
While Regina Jackson garnered attention for her outfit, her past allegations regarding recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period raise questions about her influence and behavior within college sports.
The Future of Jayden Daniels and Regina Jackson in the NFL
As Daniels settles into his rookie season, fans will be watching closely to see if he can improve upon his early performances and if his mother's media presence impacts his career narrative. Regina Jackson's eye-catching outfit highlights the intersection of family, fame, and scrutiny in professional sports, bringing both attention and potential controversy to her son's budding NFL career.
Beyond the Viral Outfit: A Closer Look at Regina Jackson
When Jayden Daniels was picked second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Commanders, at his side the entire time were his parents: Javon "Jay" Daniels and Regina Jackson. His mother also attended the ESPYS with him and made an appearance at his first win against the New York Giants in Week 2. With Jackson in the stands, Daniels had a stellar performance, completing 79.3 percent of his passes for 226 yards. However, he has yet to throw a touchdown pass and was sacked five times in the 21-18 victory.
Jackson has made headlines a couple of times in the past year, once for allegedly committing recruiting violations during Daniels' college career and recently for her outfit at Washington's latest contest. Here's everything to know about Daniels' mom, who is garnering attention on social media ahead of his Monday night matchup against fellow LSU graduate and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow and the Bengals.
Jackson grew up in San Bernardino, Calif., where she met her husband Jay attending Cajon High School, which their son would later attend. The pair raised Jayden in the Southern California city, but he revealed in a letter for The Players' Tribune that his upbringing wasn't necessarily easy and included exposure to violence and gangs. "I don’t think my parents ever worried about me going that way, to be honest. My mom and my dad didn’t play that," Daniels wrote. "I also just wasn’t a kid that was easily influenced to do things. But I mean, there was always a worry. You could always end up in the wrong situation, wrong place, wrong time."
Daniels also has a sister, Bianca, who is just under two years older than him. She, their mother, and Daniels are extremely close, according to People, and Jackson is very public in her pride and praise toward both her kids on social media. The young quarterback has been vocal about his mother's support, speaking about Jackson on The Pivot Podcast in December 2023. "My mother has never missed a game," he said. "If it’s raining out there, she’s going to be out there. If it’s minus [negative] degrees, she’s going to be out there standing up the whole time making sure she’s cheering me on."
A video of Jackson on the field before Daniels' game against the Giants last Sunday went viral, supposedly for her outfit. The video posted by ABC's Washington D.C. affiliate reporter Scott Abraham on X (previously Twitter) has garnered 13.4 million views as of Monday, Sept. 23. Several users in the replies commented on Jackson's build, with some asking if she was single and comparing her to superhero Elastigirl from "The Incredibles." Some also mentioned her stance, which is slightly wider than average.
In late April 2024 before the NFL Draft, reports surfaced that Jackson was being accused of recruiting violations from the COVID no-visit period. Daniels was the quarterback for Arizona State from 2019 to 2021 before transferring to LSU his senior year, and his mother allegedly bought flights and housing for recruits who were visiting the school during the dead period, per 247Sports. Former Sun Devil head coach Herm Edwards agreed to a five-year show-cause penalty for his role in the violations, a deal he negotiated with the NCAA's Committee on Infractions. Additionally, the school has agreed to disaffiliate with Jackson for five years.
