The Washington Commanders’ season took a troubling turn Sunday as quarterback Jayden Daniels sustained a dislocated elbow in the closing seconds of the first half during a 37-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confirmed after the game that while Daniels had dislocated the elbow, X-rays revealed no fracture. The quarterback will undergo additional testing Monday to determine the full extent of the injury and potential recovery timeline.
The injury occurred in a moment that will undoubtedly fuel second-guessing throughout the week. With Washington trailing 17-10 and positioned just one yard from the end zone with three seconds remaining before halftime, Quinn elected to forgo a field goal attempt in favor of one final scoring opportunity.
As Daniels dropped back to pass, he stumbled and extended his left arm to brace his fall. His elbow appeared to pop out of place upon contact with the ground in what can only be described as an unfortunate and awkward landing. Medical personnel attended to the young quarterback on the field before he was carted to the locker room.
When questioned about the decision to pursue the touchdown rather than settle for three points, Quinn stood by his call without hesitation.
“Anytime someone is injured you play the what-if game; I don’t think this is one of those times for me,” Quinn explained. “I hate that it happened, but I wasn’t hesitant about going into that spot. We wanted to be aggressive.”
The coach’s reasoning centered on his assessment that Washington would need to match Dallas’s offensive firepower touchdown for touchdown. In hindsight, events proved him correct about the Cowboys’ scoring capability, though not in the manner anyone associated with the Commanders would have preferred.
Before departing, Daniels had completed 11 of 17 passes for 96 yards and one touchdown while adding 69 rushing yards. Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota assumed command for the remainder of the contest, offering a succinct assessment of the situation: “It sucks.”
The timing of this injury compounds concerns about Daniels’s durability. The 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year endured a difficult sophomore campaign in 2025, missing 10 games overall due to multiple injuries, including a previous elbow injury that cost him four games. He had entered this season healthy and prepared for what was expected to be a redemptive third year in the league.
Instead, Washington finds itself at 0-2, including an 0-2 record within the NFC East division after falling to Philadelphia in the season opener. Dallas improved to 1-1 with Sunday’s victory.
The Commanders now face uncertainty at the most critical position on the field. Further medical evaluation in the coming days will determine whether this setback proves to be a brief interruption or another extended absence for a talented young quarterback whose career has been repeatedly interrupted by injury.
For a franchise hoping to establish itself as a contender in a competitive division, Sunday’s developments represent a significant setback at the earliest stages of what was meant to be a season of progress.
Related: New Found Glory Guitarist Chad Gilbert Dies at 45 After Cancer Battle
