Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders may have avoided a major setback.
Commanders GM Adam Peters told 106.7 The Fan on Friday that surgery is not being considered and the team has not talked about placing Daniels on injured reserve after he dislocated his left elbow in Washington’s Week 2 loss at Dallas. Daniels is listed as week-to-week, with the organization hopeful for a swift recovery, according to ESPN. In the meantime, veteran Marcus Mariota will start Sunday’s Week 3 home game against the Seattle Seahawks (1 p.m. ET on FOX), with undrafted free agent Athan Kaliakmanis serving as the backup.
Daniels injured the elbow on the final play of the first half while trying to break his fall and was taken off the field on a cart. The 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year came into 2025 already hampered by a season limited to seven games because of knee, hamstring and elbow issues—the last of which also affected his non-throwing (left) arm.
Through two games this season Daniels has thrown for 260 yards, rushed for 100 yards, accounted for three passing TDs with no interceptions, owns a 90.3 passer rating and has completed 56.9% of his passes.
Mariota, in his third year with Washington, started eight games (11 appearances) in 2025, finishing with 1,695 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions, a passer rating of 86.1 and a 61.2% completion rate; he also rushed for 297 yards and one score. Last week he went 11-for-16 for 111 yards and a touchdown in relief of Daniels.
The Commanders are 0-2 so far after road defeats to the Cowboys (37-20) and the Philadelphia Eagles (24-22).
Fan Take: This update matters because Daniels is the franchise’s young centerpiece—keeping him healthy is crucial to Washington’s short- and long-term prospects. If he misses time, Mariota’s performance will shape the team’s season and could influence how teams value veteran steadiness versus youthful upside around the league.
Source: www.foxsports.com
