Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was carted off the field at halftime of Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys after appearing to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half.
Daniels seemed to hyperextend the elbow while pulling away from center. He tripped, tried to catch his balance using his left arm, and the joint bent in a way it is not supposed to.
Daniels was replaced for the rest of the game by backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. He was carted to the locker room with a towel over his head, apparently to shield his reaction from the crowd.
The injury echoes one Daniels suffered last season. He dislocated his left elbow while scrambling in Washington’s Week 9 loss to Seattle on Nov. 2, 2025. An MRI at the time found no fracture or ligament damage, so he avoided surgery and was not placed on injured reserve.
He returned in Week 14 against Minnesota but aggravated the elbow, was not cleared for the next game, and was shut down for the final three weeks of the season as the team prioritized his recovery going forward.
Dr. David Chao, a former longtime NFL team physician who now runs the Sports Injury Central website, reviewed video of Sunday’s play and posted his assessment on X.
“By video, clear left elbow dislocation… Similar to last season. Joint comes out easier second time original ligament tear heals ‘looser.'”
If the injury mirrors last year’s, Daniels could be facing a similarly lengthy recovery process. With the Commanders only two weeks into the season, the setback raises immediate questions about how the team will manage both Daniels’ health and its playoff hopes.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login