The encore performance to Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels’ rookie season hasn’t gone as planned, and that’s an understatement.
Last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year has limped through a myriad of injuries in 2025, but Commanders head coach Dan Quinn and the team’s medical staff have reached a verdict on the next time Daniels will return to the lineup.
Commanders Announce Injury Update on Jayden Daniels
Just three days before his 25th birthday, Daniels will see his second season in the league end prematurely. The Commanders have decided to shut the signal-caller down for the remainder of the regular season, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
Sitting at 4-10 with just three games left on the schedule, this was perhaps the best decision for both the franchise and for Daniels’ health.
Sources: The #Commanders have decided to shut down QB Jayden Daniels for the final 3 games, turning his focus to supporting Marcus Mariota.
Daniels was re-evaluated today & not yet cleared. With him expected to be medically ruled out vs. the #Eagles, then facing a short week vs.… pic.twitter.com/hTu3Sv5wpw
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 15, 2025
All three remaining contests are against divisional opponents, with two games against the Philadelphia Eagles in Weeks 16 and 18, as well as a Christmas Day bout against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17. Sans Daniels, the Commanders will traverse forth with veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota under center, as they’ve done for seven other starts this season.
At long last, an injury-riddled season comes to an end for Daniels. Daniels suffered a knee sprain in the Sept. 11 loss to the Green Bay Packers and was forced to miss two games. He wasn’t in the lineup for long, as he’d eventually be sidelined again with a hamstring injury, though he’d miss just one game.
It was the gruesome elbow injury that he sustained in a blowout loss at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks that truly derailed Daniels’ season. It occurred late in the fourth quarter of a game in which the Commanders lost 38-14, prompting widespread discussion about why Daniels was even in the game at that point and putting Quinn in the spotlight.
Remarkably, the dislocated elbow only robbed Daniels and the Commanders of three games before he once again returned.
In Daniels’ first game back on Dec. 7, the Commanders were shut out by the Minnesota Vikings and eliminated from playoff contention in the process. Daniels completed nine of his 20 pass attempts for 78 yards and an interception. On the interception return, Daniels fell on the elbow and aggravated the injury.
READ MORE:Â 2026 3-Round NFL Mock Draft: Browns Build Around Shedeur Sanders, While 4 Ohio State Stars Go Early
There’s no doubt that Daniels is the Commanders’ franchise quarterback. But for a team out of the playoff picture with sights set on 2026, keeping him shelved with the opportunity to get fully healthy for his third season was really the only sensible avenue.
Daniels started just seven games this year for the Commanders, completing just under 61% of his passesfor 1,262 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also rushed for 278 yards and another pair of touchdowns, earning him a PFSN QB Impact score of 71.7.
