Overview
- The Commanders' starting quarterback, Jayden Daniels, dislocated his left elbow on Sunday on the final play before halftime of a 37-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and was carted off with on-site X-rays showing no fracture.
- Head coach Dan Quinn said Daniels will undergo additional imaging to assess ligament damage and to decide if surgery is required, and the team has not given a firm recovery timeline.
- Marcus Mariota replaced Daniels, completed 11 of 16 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, and will start while Washington waits for test results.
- The injury is a recurrence of the same left-elbow dislocation Daniels suffered in 2025, raising fresh concerns about his durability, past non-surgical management and how the Commanders handle roster and contract decisions.
- Beyond the medical update, the play that caused the injury — a go-for-it snap from the Dallas 1 with three seconds left in the half that ended when left guard Chris Paul appeared to step on Daniels’ foot — has drawn scrutiny of coaching choices and intensified public reaction to the setback.