Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was carted off the field at halftime of Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys after appearing to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half.
Daniels pulled away from center, tripped, and used his left arm to catch himself as he lost balance. The elbow bent in a direction it should not, and he was taken to the locker room with a towel over his head, apparently to shield his reaction from the crowd.
Marcus Mariota replaced him at quarterback for the rest of the game.
OutKick medical expert Dr. David Chao, who spent 17 seasons as head physician for the then-San Diego Chargers and now runs the Sports Injury Central website, reviewed the tape and posted his assessment on X.
By video, clear left elbow dislocation… Similar to last season. Joint comes out easier second time original ligament tear heals ‘looser.’
Daniels dislocated the same elbow while scrambling in a Week 9 loss to Seattle on Nov. 2, 2025. An MRI at the time found no fracture or ligament damage, allowing him to avoid surgery and stay off injured reserve.
He returned in Week 14 against Minnesota but aggravated the elbow again, was not cleared for the following game, and was shut down for the final three weeks of the season as the Commanders focused on getting him ready for 2026.
Now, in just the second week of the new season, that recovery appears to be in jeopardy again. If the injury matches what happened last time, Daniels faces a similar rehabilitation timeline — and the Commanders face a season that could hinge on how quickly, or whether, he comes back.
