Maybe somewhere down the line there will be a time when the Washington Commanders and superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels decide, mutually, to take a chance on an injury like a sprained knee.
Week 3 of his second NFL season just isn’t it.
Daniels underwent an MRI that diagnosed the sprained knee after a Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football and it might keep him out of a Week 3 home game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, September 21.
“Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who underwent an MRI following the loss to the Packers, was diagnosed with a sprained knee, per me and Mike Garafolo,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account on September 16. “Not a long-term injury, but Daniels’ status this week vs the #Raiders is in doubt.”
Daniels hasn’t missed a start for the Commanders since they selected him No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft after winning the 2023 Heisman Trophy at LSU. He started all 17 games for Washington last season on the way to a 12-5 regular season record and a berth in the NFC Championship Game — the Commanders best season since 1991.
The Commanders are 1-1 after a 27-18 loss to the Packers in Week 2.
I don’t know how this wasn’t ruled a hip-drop tackle in game. Checks all the boxes:
✅ Wraps Daniels with both arms ✅ Unweights by swiveling/dropping hips ✅ Lands on Daniels’s leg(s)
Daniels Bounced Back From Injury As Rookie
While Daniels didn’t miss a start in 2024, he did miss almost a whole game after he injured his ribs in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers.
While backup quarterback Marcus Mariota came on to throw for 205 yards and lead the Commanders to a 40-7 win, Daniels’ status to play in Week 8 against the Chicago Bears was in doubt leading up to game day.
Not only did Daniels return to face the Bears, he delivered the singular, signature moment of the NFL regular season and perhaps the greatest regular season moment in Commanders franchise history — a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to wide receiver Noah Brown as time expired to give the Commanders the 18-15 win over the Bears in front of Washington’s home fans at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
If that’s what happened the last time Daniels was dealing with an injury and decided to play through it, who knows what he might do in 2025?
JAYDEN DANIELS HAIL MARY! @COMMANDERS WIN!
Commanders Fans Melt Down Over JD Injury
The Commanders and their fans haven’t had as much investment in a single player like Daniels in … maybe ever.
The injury news couldn’t have come at a worst time for Washington — the team lost 2 starters to season ending injuries against the Packers with NFL All-Pro running back/return specialist Austin Ekeler (Achilles tendon) and defensive end Deatrich Wise (quad).
The reaction to Daniels possibly being out from Commanders fans was something along the lines of abject terror … mixed with some tongue in cheek humor from a familiar source.
“I have seen the jayden daniels news,” Commanders superfan and Barstool Sports podcaster PFT Commenter wrote on his official X account. “It is a hippa violation to speculate about his health so in accordance with the law i will have no comment.”
Just 20 minutes later, PFT Commenter … commented.
“If theres no Jayden Daniels and a full game of Carson Wentz I might boycott the NFL this weekend,” he wrote.
Commanders Give Shocking Injury Update on $37 Million Franchise QB