Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Injury Updated Coming Monday

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn couldn't tell much about Jayden Daniels' injury immediately following the game.

Oct 20, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) walks off the field during the first quarter after an injury against the Carolina Panthers at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images / Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Landover, MD. -- Things were going so well in the beginning of the Washington Commanders' 40-7 win over the Carolina Panthers.

The team had gotten on the board thanks to a pick-six from Commanders outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. Then the defense came up with a three-and-out to get the ball back to the offense for the first time and with a seven-point lead.

Then, on the offense's first snap of the game, Washington quarterback-extraordinaire Jayden Daniels held onto the ball on an option read and escaped up the right side of the field and into Panthers territory.

The run gained 46 yards, and appeared to be the play where Daniels injured his rib(s). Suddenly, things weren't going so well anymore.

Oct 20, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) walks off the field during the first quarter after an injury against the Carolina Panthers at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images / Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Asked when he knew his quarterback was injured, Commanders coach Dan Quinn said, “After the first drive. So, maybe at the end of the first drive, you know, right when we're down by the goal line."

Washington got a field goal off the drive and pushed the lead out to 10. Little did the team know then that they didn't need any more points. Still, in the moment, there was less excitement than there should have been given how the overall game was moving.

After the game, Quinn couldn't offer much more information other than a time frame for when he might be able to.

“I cannot give you an update on Jayden," Quinn said following the game. "But I will just as soon as we find out. We’ll do some further tests tomorrow and then when we get together in the afternoon, we'll give you an update."

More tests on Monday will hopefully reveal more information - the publicly shared kind. And when we next speak with Quinn at 3:30 p.m. ET via Zoom, there will hopefully be good news for Daniels, the Commanders, and the NFL if we're being honest. After all, they want their Daniels vs. Caleb Williams matchup next weekend just as much as anyone else.

First and foremost, however, Quinn and his staff will prioritize the needs of the player over that of the team as a whole or even the league. Just as it has in past injury situations like with defensive tackle Johnny Newton and more recently running back Brian Robinson Jr.

"If he can go, then that would be the case," Quinn said about how he'll handle Daniels' playing status moving forward. "And if he can't, then we won't. But we won't put (him) or any other guys into a space where they could jeopardize something."

After Monday, the next reasonable chance to expect an update would be Wednesday, the day the starting quarterback in Washington typically meets with the media for his weekly press conference.

---

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

More Washington Commanders News

• Zach Ertz Scores Touchdown To Cap Dominate First Half For Commanders

• Commanders Coach Still Believes in Struggling Young CB

• Commanders QB Embraces the Challenges of the Media Attention

• Commanders' Kliff Kingsbury on Why Offenses Are Moving More Than Ever