The Washington Commanders are off to a nightmarish start. They dropped their first two assignments and lost Jayden Daniels to an elbow injury. As of this writing, there is no clear timeline yet for his return.
The same injury limited Daniels to only seven games last season. The Commanders finished with a 5-12 record and missed the playoffs just one year after their inspired run to the NFC Championship Game in Daniels' rookie campaign.
Marcus Mariota will start on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Coach Dan Quinn noted that while Daniels is sidelined pending medical results, Mariota will be up to the task.
“Jay is getting further tests today and tomorrow so we have a better assessment on him through the week as we're going,” said Quinn on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
“True to Marcus' (character), I thought he came in and played well right from the start. That is no surprise to anybody who has been around him for a moment. This guy really puts it in, and this team, we will rally really hard around him until Jay's back. He has that kind of support. He is one of the best leaders both on and off the field around here. That is the type of person that these guys really want to fight for.”
“We will rally really hard around him……”
Dan Quinn updates the latest with Jayden Daniels and says they have plenty of confidence in backup Marcus Mariota.
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The 32-year-old Mariota, who has been with the Commanders since 2024, played 11 games last season. He started eight times, tallying a 2-6 record. He threw for 1,695 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
The veteran signal-caller went 11-of-16 for 111 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.
While he has not consistently played significant football over the past few years, Mariota has the tools and experience to hold down the fort while Daniels is out.