Commanders Quarterback Jayden Daniels Dislocates Left Elbow for Second Time in Less Than a Year

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow on the final play of the first half of Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, marking the second time in less than a year that he has suffered the same injury to his non-throwing arm. The Commanders ruled Daniels out for the remainder of the game at halftime, and he was carted to the locker room with a towel draped over his head.

Coach Dan Quinn said after the 37-20 loss that X-rays showed no fracture and that Daniels would travel home with the team for further imaging on Monday. The injury occurred when left guard Chris Paul stepped on Daniels’ foot as he dropped back to pass from the Dallas 1-yard line with three seconds remaining before halftime. Daniels stumbled and extended his left arm to brace his fall, and the elbow bent backward as he hit the turf.

Daniels was 11 of 17 for 96 yards and a touchdown at the time of the injury. He also had 69 yards rushing on seven carries, including runs of 18 and 20 yards on a scoring drive earlier in the second quarter.

Second Dislocation in Ten Months

Daniels first dislocated his left elbow on Nov. 2, 2025, during a blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He missed three games before returning in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings, then aggravated the same elbow when he fell on it while trying to make a tackle after throwing an interception. The Commanders shut him down for the final three games of the 2025 season.

Quinn said after Sunday’s game that the team was disheartened for Daniels. ‘He did injure his left elbow, it was a dislocation. X-rays showed no fracture,’ Quinn said. ‘Man, are we bummed for him. I thought he was really playing his ass off. And we will rally so hard around Marcus until Jayden is back.’

Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota took over for Daniels and finished the game. Mariota, a 12th-year veteran, said the injury affected the entire team. ‘It sucks, and you can’t even really put it into words,’ Mariota said. ‘You watch that kid battle through all that he’d been through last year, just very, very unfortunate.’

Injury History Since Rookie Season

Daniels, the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, has now been knocked out of five games with injuries since entering the NFL. He suffered a rib injury in October 2024 against the Carolina Panthers, a hamstring strain in October 2025 against the Cowboys, the first elbow dislocation in November 2025, a re-aggravation of the elbow in December 2025, and the second dislocation on Sunday.

His 2025 season was limited to seven games due to a left knee sprain, a right hamstring strain, and the elbow issues. He completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 1,262 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions, adding 278 rushing yards and two scores.

After the 2025 season ended, Daniels spoke about the frustration of missing time and his focus on longevity. ‘I don’t want to miss games at all. It’s been a frustrating year, disappointing year,’ Daniels said in December 2025. ‘You learn from it and move forward.’

Team Reaction and Next Steps

Teammates and coaches expressed support for Daniels after Sunday’s game. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin said the injury was difficult to process. ‘It took the air out of us a little bit,’ McLaurin said. ‘One thing I know about him, he’s really resilient. And, you know, we have a lot of season left, so he’s going to be able to come back.’

Fox analyst Tom Brady, calling the game, reacted visibly to the replay of the injury on the broadcast. Quinn said Daniels was in good spirits when the two spoke after the game.

The Commanders fell to 0-2 with the loss. Mariota is expected to start in Daniels’ place for the foreseeable future. Washington hosts the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in its home opener next Sunday.

nn

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