Who Is Jayden Daniels? The Washington Commanders QB Whose Season Is In Doubt After Elbow Injury
He dislocated his left elbow in Week 9 last year. He came back. He dislocated it again in the same game as the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. This time, the Commanders are waiting on ligament tests to find out if surgery is required.
Jayden Daniels was carted off AT&T Stadium on Sunday with his left arm in an air cast and a towel draped over his head. Washington lost 37-20 to the Dallas Cowboys, but the scoreline was an afterthought from the moment he went down on the final play of the first half. Coach Dan Quinn confirmed a dislocated left elbow and no fracture on Sunday night, with further imaging scheduled for Monday morning to determine whether there is ligament damage. If there is, surgery becomes likely, and the Washington Commanders' 2026 season changes shape before September is over.
The injury happened on a scramble play. Daniels stepped on by his own lineman, lost his balance, reached out with his left arm to brace himself, and the elbow buckled. It was the same joint, the same arm, the same type of injury as Week 9 last season against Seattle. He missed four games then, came back in Week 14, fell on the same elbow while chasing down an interception returner, and was shut down for the rest of the year. He played seven games in 2025. Sunday marked the second game of 2026.
Who Jayden Daniels Is and Why Washington Built Around Him
Daniels was taken second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft out of LSU, where he won the Heisman Trophy. He had one of the most statistically accomplished seasons in college football history in his final year as a Tiger, posting 40 touchdowns and just four interceptions while rushing for over 1,000 yards. The Commanders saw a dual-threat franchise quarterback capable of running their offensive system for a decade.
His rookie year delivered on that promise. Washington reached the NFC Championship Game for the first time in years, and Daniels was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. His sophomore season, interrupted repeatedly by injuries to his knee, ankle and then his elbow, produced only seven starts and a 4-10 record in those games with Marcus Mariota filling in throughout. Before Sunday's injury, Daniels had completed 11 of 17 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown and rushed seven times for 69 yards. He was making the Cowboys work.
What Happens to the Commanders Without Jayden Daniels
Mariota replaced him at halftime and completed 11 of 16 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown in relief. Washington fell behind too early for the backup to change the result, but Mariota managed the second half cleanly. He will start in Week 3 against the Seahawks if Daniels is unavailable.
Quinn's post-game message was measured. "He's going to be in great spirits. He's tough. That's who he is." Wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who has been through Washington's quarterback uncertainty before, added: "We've been in this situation before, unfortunately. We're going to keep supporting him." The Commanders are 0-2. Their franchise quarterback is waiting on Monday's scans. The rest of the season has been put on hold.