Not even JuJu Watkins is good enough for Jayden Daniels — at least as far as his mom is concerned.
The 2024 NFL Rookie of the Year and the USC basketball star were spotted sitting together at the Galen Center during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament on Saturday and appeared to be having a nice conversation.
Both Watkins and Daniels were smiling from ear to ear as they chatted, prompting some on social media to speculate there might be a romantic spark between the star athletes.
Not if Jayden’s mom can help it, though.
The next time the ESPN cameras found Watkins and the Washington Commanders’ quarterback, Daniels’ mother, Regina Jackson, was sitting between them. And she looked like she meant business.
On the surface, this situation might not seem suspect, but mom’s reputation as a protector precedes her.
In January, a clip went viral from Prime Video’s The Money Game, which followed LSU’s star athletes and how they managed NIL deals. Daniels and his mom were featured.
When asked what concerned her most about her son entering the NFL, Jackson answered, “Girls. Them girls” — referring to women who are only after him for his money and fame.
“Some girl out here, she’s got a Jayden Daniels wall and her mama says, ‘Hey, honey, you’re going to be the one to get ‘em.’ And I know that sounds crazy, but I guarantee there’s someone who’s trying to get their hooks into Jayden Daniels,” Jackson continued.
“So, thank God, he got a mama like me because it ain’t happening.”
Speaking to Boardroom in December, Daniels confirmed that his mother keeps his circle tight.
“Nothing gets past my mama,” the 24-year-old quarterback said. “She reads people, she doesn’t want to put people around me that she doesn’t feel will benefit me.”
While it’s understandable for Mom to look out for her son’s best interests, JuJu Watkins isn’t a gold-digging cleat chaser. At just 19 years old, she’s one of the best women’s collegiate basketball players in the country with a Nike deal and an NIL valuation nearing $1 million. In other words, she brings plenty to the table herself.
Maybe let go of the leash just a little bit, mom.
