Commanders coach Dan Quinn confirmed Jayden Daniels dislocated his elbow in a disastrous end-of-half sequence in the Commanders’ Week 2 game vs. the Cowboys. Quinn said X-rays showed no fracture, and Daniels will fly home with the team to undergo further testing Monday
Daniels, who dislocated the same elbow last year, suffered a similar-looking injury when he got stepped on by left guard Chris Paul after he took an under-center snap at the Cowboys’ 1-yard line. He tried to brace his fall with his left arm when it bent unnaturally. He was carted off the field with an air cast on his left arm and his face covered by a towel.
“Man, are we bummed for him,” a defeated Quinn said. “I thought he was really playing his ass off, and we will rally so hard around Marcus [Mariota] until Jayden’s back. That’s what we talked about as a team.”
The Commanders had first and goal from a yard out with 12 seconds left and failed to score, which would be a poor outcome regardless. That it appears to have cost them their franchise quarterback significant time made it catastrophic. Quinn said he did not regret the decision to try for a touchdown — the Daniels injury occurred on a play that started with three seconds left in the first half — with his team down 17-10.
“I wasn’t hesitant about going into that spot,” Quinn said. “I thought we were going to be aggressive into this game against their offense, so I don’t regret that. Obviously the outcome sucks, but it wasn’t a ‘what if?’ or ‘I wish I had done something differently.'”
Daniels was having an excellent half — 11-for-16 for 96 yards and a touchdown passing as well as 69 yards rushing — as Washington looked to avoid a 0-2 start. But it all came to a sudden, shocking end that even had Fox commentator Tom Brady saying “Oh s—” on air upon seeing the replay.
“I was just disheartened for him, man,” Quinn said. “I know what he’s gone through. He was in good spirits tonight. Just knowing that we wanted to all play so well for him in that space. So to see him in that spot, it stung for the guys.”
Daniels appeared in just seven games last year due to knee, hamstring and elbow issues. He originally hurt the elbow in Week 9, missed three weeks, returned in Week 14 and then landed on the elbow, forcing him out of action again. However, he did not suffer any additional structural damage in that episode.
The Commanders will turn to Mariota, who has played well in relief of Daniels in each of the last two seasons. he was 11 for 16 for 111 yards and a touchdown in the second half.
Daniels injury issues continue
After winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and leading Washington to the NFC Championship Game in a magnificent 2024 season, Daniels and the Commanders had high hopes for even better in 2025. The season quickly went sideways, though, with Daniels’ laundry list of injuries being a major factor (though the awful defense was arguably a much bigger culprit).
Daniels suffered a knee sprain late in a Week 2 loss to the Packers. He missed two games and played well in his return against the Chargers, when Washington got to 3-2 on the season. But he had a crucial fumble in Week 6, and then in Week 7, he strained his hamstring, also at Dallas.
He missed just one game for that ailment, but in a blowout loss to the Seahawks in his return, he dislocated his elbow on a scramble. It was a devastating injury, not just because of the gruesome nature, but because coach Dan Quinn later admitted he shouldn’t have had Daniels in the game given the scenario and the fact that a much-anticipated season had become a mess.
Daniels did not have surgery, and he returned once more. But he landed hard on the elbow while trying to chase down a defender after an interception against the Vikings, and that ended his season once and for all.
This injury is truly awful luck, but Daniels appears in line to miss multiple games.
Marcus Mariota to fill in
Across 11 games (eight starts) last season, Mariota went 2-6 as a starter, but it should be noted that he played decently and the defense was arguably the worst in the NFL.
Mariota ranked 11th (out of 36 quarterbacks with at least 200 pass attempts) in yards per attempt last year, though he was an all-or-nothing player in some regards. He ranked 29th in completion rate and 32nd in touchdown-to-interception ratio; his 10.9 air yards per attempt was the highest in the NFL.
Mariota provides mobility and some big-play ability, and he can potentially keep the offense afloat if he avoids turnovers. Regardless, the Commanders have experienced another brutal blow and will hope for the best regarding Daniels’ status once again.
