Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was carted off the field in an air cast Sunday after dislocating his left elbow during a goal-line play against the Dallas Cowboys, the same joint that sidelined him for much of last season. Daniels was ruled out for the remainder of the game, leaving backup Marcus Mariota to take over Washington's offense for the second half.
The injury happened with three seconds left in the second quarter, on third-and-goal from the Dallas 1-yard line, after head coach Dan Quinn chose to call a pass play rather than kick a field goal while trailing 17-10, according to FOX Sports. As Daniels backed away from center, he seemingly tripped on center Nick Allegretti, causing him to stumble and land with his weight on his left arm, his elbow buckling inward, per the Associated Press. The Baltimore Banner reported that Daniels tried to run to the sideline as the first half expired, tripping over an offensive lineman's foot while handing the ball off before falling to the turf, and that Commanders medical staff braced his arm and called for a cart, according to The Baltimore Banner.
Before leaving the game in Arlington, Daniels had completed 11 of 17 passes for 96 yards and a 4-yard touchdown to Stefon Diggs, while also leading Washington in rushing with 69 yards on seven carries, according to NFL.com. The performance continued a strong start to his 2026 campaign; in Washington's Week 1 opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, Daniels had completed 18 of 34 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns to go with 31 rushing yards, per Yardbarker.
Broadcast Booth Reacts to Graphic Replay
The slow-motion replay of Daniels' arm buckling underscored how severe the visual appeared to viewers.
Former NFL head team doctor David Chao described it as a clear left elbow dislocation. The extent of the damage remains an open question the team has not yet addressed publicly.
A Troubling Pattern for Washington's Franchise Passer
Sunday's injury echoes a similar setback from last season. According to the Associated Press report cited above, Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9 of 2025, missed the next three games, attempted to return, and then aggravated the same elbow in Week 14, after which he did not play again that season. Washington had previously covered a knee injury that sidelined Daniels ahead of a matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders, part of what became an injury-marred sophomore year that limited him to seven games due to knee, hamstring, and elbow issues.
Daniels was named the 2024 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after being selected No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft following his Heisman Trophy campaign at LSU, and he remains under a four-year, $37.75 million contract with Washington that includes a fifth-year team option for 2028, according to NFL Trade Rumors. The recurring elbow trouble raises fresh questions about the long-term durability of a player Washington has built its offense around.
The play that led to Daniels' fall began with an under-center snap.
With Daniels sidelined, veteran Marcus Mariota took over the offense for the second half, while Athan Kaliakmanis, Washington's 2026 seventh-round pick, was part of the team's quarterback depth. How Washington manages its quarterback depth chart remains an open question following the loss in Arlington, Texas.
