Following a standout rookie season, Jayden Daniels entered his second year with the Washington Commanders with high expectations. However, concerns about a repeat of the Robert Griffin III saga have started to materialize.
Daniels has battled multiple injuries this season and is now ruled out for Washington’s Week 15 game. Here’s a closer look at the setbacks the Commanders’ star quarterback has faced since being drafted.
How Many Injuries Has Jayden Daniels Suffered So Far?
Daniels entered Washington with a wave of optimism after a stellar rookie season, during which he led the Commanders to their first playoff win in decades. Daniels started all 17 regular-season games and three playoff contests, throwing for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns while rushing for 891 yards and six scores.
As a rookie, Daniels’ health concerns were minimal, with only a minor rib issue in Week 8Â that briefly raised questions about his availability. He played through it without missing a game.
However, his sophomore season has been a different story. After guiding Washington to a season-opening win over the New York Giants, Daniels suffered a left knee sprain in Week 2 against the Packers. Although MRI revealed no structural damage, he missed two games before returning in Week 5, helping the Commanders defeat the Los Angeles Chargers 27-10.
Daniels started two more games before exiting the Week 7 loss to the Cowboys with a hamstring injury. He missed just one game and returned against the Seattle Seahawks, but later suffered a dislocated left elbow in the loss. While X-rays were negative and an MRI showed no structural damage, initial fears of surgery subsided, and the team opted to re-evaluate him during Washington’s Week 12 bye. He returned in Week 14.
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Unfortunately, Daniels aggravated the elbow injury during Washington’s Week 14 blowout loss to the Vikings. The incident occurred in the third quarter after an interception, when linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel ran the ball back, and Daniels hit the turf hard following a block from Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers.
Daniels has now been ruled out for Week 15. With the Commanders at 3-10 and out of playoff contention, speculation is mounting that Washington may shut him down for the remainder of the season, given the number of hits he’s already taken this year and the team’s past experience with RGIII, despite organizational differences at the time.
Through the season, Daniels has completed 60.6% of his passes for 1,262 yards and eight touchdowns, while rushing for 278 yards and two scores. He currently ranks 24th in PFSN’s QB Impact metric with a score of 71.7.
