Daniels' current injury is a repeat of the one that initially put his sophomore season at risk. Daniels tried to escape pressure and brace himself during the fall with his left arm.
At one point, he bent his elbow backward unnaturally, leaving a worried reaction in both the broadcast booth and the sideline team of doctors. Former NFL player and Fox broadcaster Tom Brady showed his concern while watching the play again.
The Commanders were attempting a comeback when the injury occurred, with Daniels going 11-for-17 for 96 yards with a passing TD and adding 69 yards on seven rushes. Daniels' injury meant the team had to play its veteran reserve Marcus Mariota in the second half, something that had occurred several times already this season for the struggling Washington franchise.
This is not the first time Daniels has suffered an elbow injury that threatened to end his season prematurely. Daniels suffered a dislocation of his left elbow back in Week 9 in a game against the Seattle Seahawks, an injury that seemed devastating at the time until it was revealed that he did not sustain any ligament damage.
He returned to play three weeks after missing three games and then suffered an elbow injury again in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings, which led to him finishing the year after missing the last three games.
However, Daniels' injury on Sunday has left the medical and coaching staffs of the Washington Commanders questioning whether the elbow has been given adequate time to heal before the young quarterback has been thrust back into game situations during the 2026 campaign.
After starting his first NFL season on a hopeful note after showcasing some glimpses of his rookie-season talent in the Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, throwing for 18-of-34 for 164 yards and two scores as well as running for 31 yards in the process.
Daniels' 2025 season saw nearly all the injuries but none of the production. Aside from the elbow troubles, the QB has been bothered by the left knee sprain that caused him to sit out of two more contests in Week 2, followed by a right hamstring injury that sidelined him for a week in Week 7.
All in all, a very talented quarterback who earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honours in 2024 managed only to play in seven games of the second season of his professional career.
His injury history has prompted much debate amongst analysts and fans as to whether his unconventional and creative playing style — the same attribute that made him such a threat when he was a rookie — is the very thing that puts him at risk of getting hurt.
By extending plays and running the risk of getting hit while he attempts to get out of the pocket, Daniels has made for highlight-worthy game footage, but he has also put himself in harm’s way more than once, as the play from Sunday showed.
The extent of Daniels’ injury remains unknown, as the Commanders wait to see how it will shake out, but early indications suggest that he won’t be returning to the field any time soon.
The fact that he had to be carried off the field and put into an air cast indicates that there is no taking chances with the joint, especially after the history of it. Should the images come back with further injury, such as re-dislocation, Daniels may be headed for another period on the sidelines.
The head coach, Dan Quinn, has already expressed confidence about Daniels' development as a quarterback this season because he was quick with his decision-making to come up with explosive plays with the help of David Blough as his offensive coordinator.
However, all of that may have been threatened due to yet another setback in a series of concerning injuries.
For an organisation which reached the NFC Championship last season because of the play of Daniels, the well-being of the player is becoming more and more crucial to their prospects for success.
Short-term absence may not pose too much of an issue with the presence of Mariota, but any kind of pattern similar to what happened last season may require tough decisions from the Commanders.
