The Washington Commanders lost much more than a game on Sunday night, as second-year QB Jayden Daniels had to leave the field. The LSU product hurt his elbow in the fourth quarter and had to leave with a brace. Now, he’s expected to miss some time.
What Happened to Jayden Daniels?
According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Daniels sustained a dislocated elbow. The Commanders believe they dodged a bullet, but there’s still no official timetable for his return:
“Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who left Sunday’s loss with his left arm immobilized, suffered a dislocated elbow and will have an MRI to determine how long he’s out, sources say,” Rapoport wrote on X. “The belief is it’s not as bad as it could’ve been. But Daniels will miss several games.”
#Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who left Sunday’s loss with his left arm immobilized, suffered a dislocated elbow and will have an MRI to determine how long he’s out, sources say.
The belief is it’s not as bad as it could’ve been. But Daniels will miss several games. pic.twitter.com/SSRdQKT1Pn
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 3, 2025
Renowned sports medicine physician Jesse Morse, M.D., shared his thoughts on the diagnosis. While they still need to determine the extent of the injury, the fact that he didn’t sustain a fracture is a positive sign.
“Left elbow dislocation confirmed,” Morse wrote. “Initial X-days showed no fracture – wonderful news, meaning it was “just” a dislocation and not a fracture. Sometimes small fractures get picked up on CT/MRI that the X-rays missed.”
As for how many games he’ll miss, it will depend on further testing. “The MRI will be key to determine the severity of ligament damage, which ranges from stretching (mild), to partial tearing (moderate) to full-thickness tearing (severe),” he added.
Daniels couldn’t get much going against the Seahawks’ stout defense, completing just 16 of 22 passes for 153 yards and one interception. He also had 10 carries for 51 rushing yards.
The second-year quarterback had already missed two games this season with a sprained left knee, with veteran Marcus Mariota replacing him. He also hurt his ribs last season, and his mobility was compromised down the stretch, although he didn’t miss any time because of that.
Daniels’ lanky frame was a bit of a concern for scouts. There were some doubts about his ability to deal with the wear and tear of the pros, and so far, those concerns haven’t gone away.
Head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury need to do a better job of keeping him out of harm’s way, even if that means holding him back and not having him carry the ball two yards away from the end zone late in a blowout loss.