Jayden Daniels, quarterback for the Commanders, managed to evade a serious injury from a dislocated elbow, but he will eventually require surgery.
During a recent episode of the “Adam Schefter Podcast,” NFL insider Adam Schefter pointed out that while Daniels has postponed surgery for now, it will be necessary after the season wraps up.
“Jayden Daniels is going to need surgery. He’s probably going to need surgery after this season. He’s putting it off so he can play with his team now,” Schefter noted.
Daniels, the Commanders’ first-round pick in 2024, has been dealing with elbow problems for about a year. His previous season ended prematurely in 2025 after he dislocated the elbow while facing the Seahawks.
A recurrence of that injury occurred towards the end of the first half during a matchup against the Cowboys in Week 2, which led to backup quarterback Marcus Mariota taking over for the remainder of that game and starting in Week 3 against Seattle.
Fortunately, medical experts have confirmed that there were no fractures or significant ligament damage in Daniels’ elbow, and General Manager Adam Peters stated that surgery is not being considered at the moment.
While this latest dislocation isn’t as critical, it’s likely that Daniels won’t play in the Commanders’ upcoming Week 4 game against the Colts in London. Still, he did make the trip to practice ahead of the game.
“We will see how the week progresses, but I would guess on this Tuesday morning that Marcus Mariota starts Sunday in London,” Schefter mentioned.
This Sunday marks the 12th game out of a possible 19 that Daniels has missed since participating in every match of his rookie season. The Commanders’ performance has dipped from an average of 195 passing yards per game when Daniels is in the lineup to just 158 without him.
Despite this, Mariota stepped up in his first start of the season, leading the team to a surprising 33-31 victory over Seattle. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards and threw three touchdowns against a top-tier NFL defense.
The Commanders now hope for a similar performance from Mariota as they embark on their journey overseas, aiming for their first 3-1 start since 2024.
