Commanders QB Marcus Mariota suffered a sprained MCL during the team’s preseason game on Friday, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report. Mariota will miss the final two games of Washington’s preseason slate as a result.
ESPN’s John Keim says Mariota was unlikely to suit up for the preseason finale anyway, and as a veteran of 11 seasons with 82 starts to his name, missing a couple of exhibition contests is not much of a concern. However, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic suggested Mariota’s absence may not be limited to the preseason.
If Mariota is forced to miss regular season time, the Commanders could look for a veteran reinforcement. At present, 2024 UDFA Sam Hartman – who has never seen action in an NFL regular season – and seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis are Washington’s only passers behind QB1 Jayden Daniels and Mariota.
Mariota joined the Commanders in 2024, Daniels’ rookie season, and he served as a mentor and backup to his fellow former Heisman winner during Daniels’ explosive debut. But as Keim recalls, Mariota was sidelined for the first four games of that season due to a strained pec, and Jeff Driskel was Daniels’ QB2 for that stretch. Driskel also spent several weeks on Washington’s active roster during the latter stages of the ‘25 season – in the wake of another Mariota injury – and he remains unsigned. Speculatively, he could be an option if the Commanders feel the need to supplement the depth chart.
Now 32 (33 in October), Mariota’s most recent work as a starter before last year came in 2022, when he operated as the Falcons’ QB1 for a 13-game stint. During Daniels’ injury-marred sophomore campaign in 2025, Mariota started eight contests, posting a poor 2-6 record in the process. His surface-level stats were passable for a backup, as he tossed 10 TDs against seven interceptions – good for an 86.1 quarterback rating – and added 297 rushing yards and a score on 50 carries.
That was enough for the Commanders to make another notable investment in Mariota, as they re-signed him to a one-year, $7MM pact in March. The contract has a max value of $11MM.
Driskel, 33, has a career record of 1-10 as a starting passer. Prior to rejoining the Commanders late last season, he spent time on the Raiders’ and Cardinals’ taxi squads.