Photo by John McDonnell/ for The Washington Post via Getty Images
LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 24: Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confers with quarterback Jayden Daniels in the late in the fourth quarter during the Cowboys' defeat of the Commaders 34-26 at the Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD on November 24, 2024. (Photo by John McDonnell/ for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The Washington Commanders face an early-season challenge after star quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a knee sprain in Thursday night’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. Daniels finished the game but experienced discomfort afterward, raising questions about his availability for the Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Head coach Dan Quinn addressed Daniels’ condition and the team’s plans during Monday’s press conference, emphasizing patience, preparation, and trust in backup Marcus Mariota.
Quinn Details Recovery Steps for Daniels
Coach Quinn broke down the process for evaluating Daniels’ readiness to return. “Yeah, it starts off first on like the strength part of things, the movements, and that’s step one,” Quinn said. “Then on the field, the change of direction, the pivoting, the moving, all of those would be the things to go. So, we’ll just take it as it goes through the week, but he’d have to see all of the steps along this week to hit those marks, the speed, the stopping, the change of direction, all of it.”
Quinn confirmed that Daniels’ injury occurred while scrambling under pressure. “He was hurt on a tackle. He was actually looking back on Micah [Parsons] and scrambled away and got hit from kind of the opposite direction I would say. But he is dealing with knee injury, like I said, it was good that he finished the game and now as we get through it, we will just kind of go through the whole process with him and we’re not going to miss it either,” he explained.
The Commanders will use their robust return-to-play program to ensure Daniels is fully recovered before taking the field. “That’s why I truly say it’s day by day to make sure that he can absolutely be himself,” Quinn added.
Commanders Prepare for Contingencies
The injury comes at a critical time as Washington tries to avoid falling behind in the NFC East race. Quinn acknowledged the challenges of dealing with multiple injuries early in the season. “Yeah, I think teams go through it. It’s just at different times with injuries and such. And so having this 70-man roster, you’ve heard me say it’s going to take everybody. You need a big deep crew. And if players do have to miss that’s why we have this group and how we play,” he said.
Quinn also expressed confidence in Marcus Mariota if Daniels cannot start. “Yeah, we’ll take it all the way to Friday and then, have a real good idea of where we’re at. If called upon, this is an elite competitor, teammate and player so we’ll just take it as we go through that one. But, yeah, our confidence in him is through the roof based on who he is, the teammate, what he’s shown to us here,” Quinn noted.
Balancing Daniels’ long-term health with his competitive spirit is a priority for Quinn. “Yes, you are correct. That’s just who he is, which I also love about him by the way. But it is part of, that’s my job to make sure that, one I’m getting all the information from the medical side. Is he hitting all the tests, and then you also have to trust your eyes. Where’s he at? Where are we going? And so, we’re just not going to miss it for he and for any of the guys in that space,” Quinn said.
The Commanders are working closely with Daniels to keep him mentally engaged while focusing on performance improvements. “I think more than anything, just this is a real competitor, so you want to make sure, where’s he at and what’s he got to do to get himself back and hit all the marks that he needs to hit. Probably more conversations, not injury related, to be honest with you. Performance and the things we need to do better,” Quinn explained.
As the Commanders prepare for the Raiders, all eyes will remain on Daniels’ status. Washington understands that maintaining stability at quarterback is key to competing in a tough NFC East. While Quinn praised Daniels’ toughness, he made it clear that the team will not rush him back until he’s fully ready. With Mariota waiting in the wings, Washington is determined to adapt, compete, and keep its season on track.