Jayden Daniels Injured as Marcus Mariota Prepares to Start

Daniels Sidelines with Elbow Injury

The Washington Commanders do not have a clear timeline for star quarterback Jayden Daniels to return to action. Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow during the team's recent loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn spoke to the media on Monday. He confirmed that Daniels underwent an MRI earlier in the day. The quarterback will now consult with specialists over the next two days to determine the extent of the damage.

The franchise plans to create a recovery program for the third-year quarterback. This plan will only be formulated once they receive detailed feedback and opinions from the medical specialists.

Marcus Mariota Steps in to Start

With Daniels sidelined for the upcoming game, backup quarterback Marcus Mariota will step into the starting lineup. Mariota will face a tough challenge on Sunday when the Commanders take on the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

The injury occurred on the very last play of the first half against Dallas. Daniels was trying to make a play when he fell. His left elbow appeared to bend the wrong way as he braced himself on the ground while throwing a wild pass that fell incomplete as time expired.

History Repeats for the Young Quarterback

This is a frustrating setback for the young quarterback. It is the second consecutive season that the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner has dislocated the elbow on his non-throwing arm.

Last season, Daniels suffered the exact same injury in a heavy loss against Seattle on November 2. That injury forced him to miss four weeks of action. He missed almost all the games in the second half of the year before finally returning on December 7 against the Minnesota Vikings.

In both cases, the injury happened in the same manner. Daniels used his non-throwing arm to brace himself during a hard fall, resulting in the dislocation.