The Washington Commanders fell 37-20 against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday to move to 0-2 on the season and 0-2 in the NFC East.
However, the biggest storyline emerging from the game came on the very final play of the first half when Commanders star quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a gruesome elbow injury that led to him exiting the game on a cart and obviously not returning.
After the game, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn revealed that Daniels suffered a dislocation of his left elbow, which is the same injury that caused him to miss about a month last year. Fortunately, X-rays came back negative, and he didn’t sustain any fractures, but he will likely miss significant time as they continue testing on Monday.
Stephen A. Smith Raises Serious Concern Over Daniels’ Injury
During Monday’s episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith may have talked about what many are beginning to think about, which is the comparison between Daniels and former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III.
“I feel bad for the Washington Commanders fanbase,” Smith said. “Thins RG3 written all over it again. Former No. 2 overall pick, Offensive Rookie of the Year, and duel threat, slender build, and you’ve encored these injuries.
“It’s not this brothers talent because when hes behind center and he’s back there flinging that football. But he’s one of those guys that what can go wrong will go wrong… something will always happen to this guy. I hope I’m wrong because I think he’s a terrific player and I’m wishing nothing but the best for him.”
“I feel bad for the Washington Commanders’ fan base. This has RG3 written all over it again.”@stephenasmith on Jayden Daniels’ latest elbow injury 😳 pic.twitter.com/tY620fMJgp
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 21, 2026
Griffin III’s Comparison to Daniels
Griffin III was drafted second overall, just like Daniels, by the Commanders, then known as the Redskins, in 2012. He went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year and make a Pro Bowl, also just like Daniels.
However, he ended up sustaining several injuries in the years that followed, played only three seasons in Washington, and spent seven seasons in the NFL before retiring.
While Daniels hasn’t suffered any catastrophic lower-body injuries like Griffin III did during his time in Washington, his injuries are beginning to pile up. It’s certainly a cause for concern that he’ll now likely miss another large portion of his third year in the NFL after an impressive rookie season in 2024 that saw him lead the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game.
Stephen A. Smith Raises Serious Concern Over Jayden Daniels’ Injury