Washington commanders hope for star quarterback Jayden Daniels would return this season after his elbow injury flared up again in Week 14, but has since changed course. Washington will close the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year and allow Marcus Mariota finish the season as quarterback, according to CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
Daniels was re-examined by Washington medical personnel today, but he was not cleared to return. This was reported by NFL Media.. If he is not cleared for the Week 16 matchup against Philadelphia EaglesDaniels' next opportunity to play would come in a short week against Dallas Cowboys. In the end, the commanders simply turned it off.
Less than a month ago, Commanders coach Dan Quinn said he wants Daniels to play healthy and develop, whether Washington is in the playoffs or not.
“I think it's important, like Jayden…learning to play that position at the highest competitive level while doing it safely and it's the reps, you know, that you develop as well,” Quinn said. “It’s a skill, just like throwing and handling. And that’s why all these things are important.”
The 4-10 Commanders have been without their starting quarterback for half the season. Daniels suffered knee and hamstring injuries before dislocating his left elbow during a Week 9 loss to Seattle Seahawks. He returned for the Week 14 match against Minnesota VikingsBut landed hard on his injured elbow trying to chase Andrew Van Ginkel after the interception.
Second overall pick in the 2024 draft. NFL Draft took the league by storm as a rookie, throwing for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and added 891 yards and six touchdowns as a rusher. Washington went from 4-13 to 12-5 and reached the NFC Championship Game. Daniels' 37 total touchdowns and 5,416 yards (including playoffs) were the most for a rookie in a season. NFL story. Daniels has lost five of seven starts this season, throwing for 1,262 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
The 2025 season was a complete disaster for Washington. Daniels missed more than half of the campaign due to injury. Star wide Terry McLaurinsigned to a three-year, $96 million deal with the Commanders after training camp sat out, missed half the season with a quadriceps injury, while the defense also suffered serious injuries. Marshon Lattimore, Trey Amos, Dorance Armstrong And Dietrich Wise Jr.. all are on injured reserve, leaving Washington with what is statistically the second-worst defense in the NFL. Perhaps a regression from 2024 was expected, but not to such an extent.
