The Washington Commanders didn’t just lose a tough one to the Green Bay Packers in Week 2, they also came away with a new concern about their young franchise quarterback.
Jayden Daniels, who has been the centerpiece of the Commanders’ rise over the past year, is now dealing with a left knee sprain that leaves his Week 3 status up in the air.
How Long Will QB Jayden Daniels Be Out?
Daniels underwent an MRI after the Thursday night loss, and while the results brought some relief (since no major damage was found), he was officially considered “day-to-day.”
Daniels didn’t practice on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, which wasn’t a great sign for his availability this week. He was later officially ruled out for the Week 3 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Now official: Commanders HC Dan Quinn said Marcus Mariota will start Sunday versus the Raiders. pic.twitter.com/MwNEPmBo1z
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 19, 2025
The injury came after a game in which Daniels took plenty of hits behind the line of scrimmage. Green Bay’s defense made him uncomfortable all night, and while he pushed through to finish the game, it was clear by the end that the punishment had caught up to him.
Marcus Mariota Set To Step Up With Daniels Out for Sunday’s Game
Since Daniels is unable to play, the Commanders will turn to veteran backup Marcus Mariota. While not the dynamic playmaker that Daniels has already shown himself to be, Mariota brings plenty of NFL experience, including postseason starts.
For a team with playoff aspirations, having a capable backup in place could prove valuable if Daniels needs time to recover.
The last thing they want to do is bring Daniels back too early and potentially make the injury worse. There’s no doubt that the focus is on whether he’s able to compete at the highest level and deliver what he did last season. However, to do that, Daniels must remain healthy.
As of now, optimism remains that Daniels won’t miss significant time. The key question was whether he’ll be healthy enough to line up under center on Sunday in Las Vegas, for which the team got the answer on Friday.
Mariota will start against the Raiders, a team he played for two seasons. He didn’t start a single game in Las Vegas, but in 11 appearances, the former second-round pick threw for 230 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. In three games for the Commanders so far, Mariota has completed 77.3% of his throws for 364 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions.
