No surgery for Jayden Daniels. Commanders general manager Adam Peters delivered that update Friday, easing fears after the quarterback’s second elbow dislocation in 11 months.
Peters Delivers the Good News
Peters made the announcement during his weekly appearance on “The Sports Junkies” radio show:
“As of right now, surgery is not on the table, and we haven’t discussed IR.”
The comment ruled out the worst-case outcome for a player who’s already dealt with the same injury once before.
Daniels got hurt at the end of the first half against Dallas in Week 2. Left guard Chris Paul stepped on him after a snap near the goal line, and Daniels tried to brace his fall with his left arm.
The elbow bent awkwardly on contact, and he left the field with a towel over his head. X-rays showed no fracture, and Daniels spent the following days visiting specialists and undergoing additional imaging.
A Painful Repeat
This marks the second time in less than a year that Daniels has dislocated this elbow. He first suffered the injury last November against Seattle, missing four weeks before returning. He then re-aggravated it in December chasing down a defender after an interception, ending his season for good at that point, even without further structural damage.
The pattern raises real questions about durability, even with surgery off the table for now. Daniels will miss Sunday’s home opener against Seattle, with Marcus Mariota starting in his place. Mariota already filled in during Washington’s Week 2 loss, going 11 of 16 for 111 yards and a touchdown. He was also named a captain today.
No Timeline Yet
Peters stopped short of offering a firm return date, saying the focus now shifts to figuring out the right path back. Head coach Dan Quinn and receiver Terry McLaurin both threw their support behind Mariota in the meantime. “Marcus is a complete pro,” McLaurin said.
Washington enters Sunday at 0-2, with both losses coming against NFC East opponents. Avoiding IR keeps the door open for Daniels to return within the next few weeks rather than facing a minimum four-game absence.
This hopefully gives Washington a real chance to have its franchise quarterback back sooner than last year’s recovery allowed.