The Washington Commanders are facing a significant decision following an MRI on Jayden Daniels’ dislocated left elbow. Specialists will review the results to decide the best course of action for their starting quarterback. Daniels is ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks, and Marcus Mariota will take over as the starting quarterback.
The injury happened during the second half of a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on September 20, 2026. This injury poses a crisis for the Commanders, especially since the Seahawks are hopeful to have their starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, back.
Commanders coach Dan Quinn stated, “He had imaging done today, and he’ll see specialists early this week, Tuesday and Wednesday. We will go through the process from there. Until that process is complete, providing a timeline would be a guess.” Quinn is cautious about predicting a timeline because the specialists might recommend surgery, ending Daniels’ season, or a rehabilitation program similar to last year’s, which could also keep him sidelined for weeks.
Last season, Daniels played only seven of 17 games after dislocating the same elbow. He chose not to undergo surgery then, missing three games. However, he aggravated the injury in Week 14 and was sidelined for the remainder of the season.
The Commanders must now decide whether to repeat last year’s approach or consider surgery, which is usually unnecessary after an elbow dislocation. Surgery may only be advised if the elbow doesn’t remain stable after a closed reduction or if there is severe damage to ligaments, tendons, or joint capsules.
Facing the Seahawks without Daniels is a considerable challenge, as Washington’s offensive strategy heavily depends on his capabilities. The team’s struggle to recover from an 0-2 start places additional pressure on the coaching staff to stabilize a faltering season.