Washington Commanders fans held their breath when rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels went down with a gruesome elbow injury in Week 9. Now, coming out of the bye week with a 3-8 record, the team faces a pivotal decision about its franchise cornerstone.
Will Daniels suit up for Sunday night’s clash against the 9-2 Denver Broncos, or will the Commanders play it safe with their young star?
Will Jayden Daniels Play Against the Denver Broncos in Week 13?
The Commanders’ season took a frightening turn during their Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Trailing 38-7 late in the game, Daniels remained on the field and suffered a dislocated elbow injury that appeared devastating in real-time.
Fortunately, further testing revealed no additional damage beyond the dislocation. Following that diagnosis, Adam Schefter reported that Washington decided against placing him on injured reserve, opting instead to re-evaluate him after the bye week.
With the team returning to action, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport provided a crucial update on Monday.
According to Rapoport, “#Commanders QB Jayden Daniels was evaluated coming out of Washington’s bye and sources say this Sunday’s game against the #Broncos is a long-shot. But Daniels will return to practice this week. Progress from his dislocated elbow.”
#Commanders QB Jayden Daniels was evaluated coming out of Washington’s bye and sources say this Sunday’s game against the #Broncos is a long-shot.
But Daniels will return to practice this week. Progress from his dislocated elbow. pic.twitter.com/XEj2LRgj7j
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 24, 2025
While Daniels likely won’t take the field against Denver, the organization appears optimistic about a return later in the 2025-26 campaign. Before the injury, he showed flashes of why Washington drafted him.
Through six games, Daniels completed 62.5% of his passes for 1,184 yards, eight touchdowns, and just two interceptions. He also added a dynamic element on the ground, gaining 262 yards and scoring twice on 54 carries.
His standout performance came in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers, where he ranked fifth in PFSN’s Weekly Quarterback Impact rankings. In that 27-10 victory, he threw for 231 yards and a touchdown on 15 completions while adding 39 rushing yards on eight attempts.
With Daniels likely sidelined, Marcus Mariota will start Sunday night against the Broncos, with Josh Johnson serving as the backup. Mariota enters this matchup coming off a tough loss to the Miami Dolphins. In that game, he completed 66.7% of his passes for 213 yards and a touchdown but threw a costly interception in overtime that sealed the defeat.
This situation leaves the Commanders with a difficult question: Even if Daniels can return, does it make sense to play him in a 3-8 season? Or should the team focus on his long-term health for 2026?
