University of Kwazulu-Natal

What Happened To Jayden Daniels Breaking Down Why Marcus Mariota Is

Bonisiwe Shabane
-
what happened to jayden daniels breaking down why marcus mariota is

The Washington Commanders are going to need to rattle off some wins to save their season. They're going to have to do it with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota as the new starter in place of the injured Jayden Daniels. Mariota's new stint starts Sunday in Week 10. The Commanders take on the Detroit Lions in the late afternoon window. In a bit of irony, Mariota was once the No. 2 overall pick, just like the player he is replacing, Daniels.

The Commanders and their fanbase will hope he can play like a guy once drafted that high. The Commanders’ turnaround from a four-win team to the NFC Championship Game last year has made them a potential Super Bowl contender overnight. Coming into 2025, they are one of the most dangerous teams, thanks to improvements on defense and continuing refinement of the weapons around superstar franchise QB Jayden Daniels. Unfortunately, the goodwill from last season lasted just one week as they ran into a buzzsaw in Week 2 in the form of the Green Bay Packers. Being dominated, their record stood at 1-1, albeit with a winnable game against the Las Vegas Raiders on the horizon in Week 3. However, in a shocking development, a different second-round pick will be the starting quarterback for Washington in that game.

But why is Marcus Mariota getting the starter nod? During their 27-18 Week 2 loss to Green Bay, a stifling Packers defense featuring EDGE Micah Parsons did a number on Daniels. He finished with just 200 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing less than 60% of his passing attempts. His ability to run the ball, too, didn’t create much of a difference, as he added just 17 yards on the ground on seven carries. A major reason for that drop off turned out to be a knee injury that lingered for Daniels throughout the week. Why Jayden Daniels isn't playing today for Commanders with injury news, return timeline, backup Marcus Mariota originally appeared on The Sporting News.

Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Jayden Daniels won't be on the field for the Washington Commanders, though. Daniels is one of the marquee reasons to send a team like the Commanders to a spotlight international game. Instead, though, Washington will have Marcus Mariota playing QB against the Miami Dolphins. MORE: Did anyone know Justin Herbert had a brother in the NFL? Pro Football and Sports Network covers all the major professional sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Tennis, WNBA, NASCAR, and more.

The second season of Jayden Daniels’ career offered a ton of promise. After logging in what many believed to be the greatest rookie season from a quarterback in NFL history, Daniels and the Washington Commanders came into the 2025 season with a ton of expectations attached... However, after three weeks, those aspirations have hit a very large speed bump. After missing their game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3, all signs point to a similar situation unfolding in Week 4. After injury concerns plagued his evaluation in the draft, the start of his sophomore year hasn’t helped assuage those doubts, especially after his production already took a dip in his rookie season with a... What has happened this year to cause Daniels to miss time and Washington to promote Marcus Mariota in his stead instead?

After an electric run at LSU, Daniels came into the league with a ton of hype, despite questions about his frame. Almost immediately, he proved his value by flipping the narrative for the Commanders on its head. Marcus Mariota was an underrated member of the 2024 Washington Commanders. Signed to be the backup quarterback to rookie Jayden Daniels, Mariota didn't expect to play much, but instead serve as a mentor and sounding board to Daniels. That's what happened. Daniels and Mariota grew close, with the star rookie explaining how important Mariota was to him last season.

Meanwhile, Mariota enjoyed passing along the lessons of a fellow former No. 2 overall pick to the eager rookie. Mariota did get to play last season and was pivotal in two of Washington's 12 regular-season wins. In a Week 8 game against Carolina, Daniels was injured in the first half, and Mariota relieved him, completing 18 of 23 passes for 205 yards with two touchdowns, while also rushing for 34... The Commanders won the game, 40-7. In the regular-season finale at Dallas, Mariota played the second half against the Cowboys after the first-team offense struggled.

Mariota completed 15 of 18 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for 56 yards on five carries, including a critical 33-yard run on fourth down to keep the eventual game-winning drive alive. A few plays later, Mariota found Terry McLaurin in the end zone to give Washington the come-from-behind win. Mariota enjoyed his one season in Washington but understood there was no path forward for him to start. Still, the Commanders wanted him back, and Mariota wanted to come back, too. This offseason, he signed a one-year deal to return and back up Daniels for another season.

The Washington Commanders are staring down a critical stretch in their season, and they'll be doing it with a new face under center. With rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels sidelined due to injury, veteran Marcus Mariota steps in as the starter heading into Week 10’s matchup against the Detroit Lions. It’s a pivotal moment for a Commanders team trying to stay in the hunt, and Mariota’s opportunity comes with more than a touch of irony. Like Daniels, Mariota was once the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Now, nearly a decade removed from that selection, he’s being asked to channel some of that early-career promise to steady a team in need of direction.

Daniels went down in rough fashion during the Commanders’ Week 9 loss on Sunday Night Football. With the team trailing by 31 points late in the fourth quarter, Daniels took off on a scramble - something fans have already come to expect from the dynamic rookie. But the play ended with a hard takedown and an ugly-looking injury to his left arm. The way his arm bent on the fall was alarming, and the diagnosis confirmed it: a dislocated elbow. Trainers immediately immobilized the arm in a cast, and Daniels was helped off the field. Considering how painful and awkward the injury looked in real time, the initial concern was that Daniels could be out for an extended stretch.

But there’s a bit of optimism coming out of Washington. The Washington Commanders are going to need to rattle off some wins to save their season. They're going to have to do it with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota as the new starter in place of the injured Jayden Daniels. Mariota's new stint starts Sunday in Week 10. The Commanders take on the Detroit Lions in the late afternoon window. In a bit of irony, Mariota was once the No.

2 overall pick, just like the player he is replacing, Daniels. The Commanders and their fanbase will hope he can play like a guy once drafted that high. The Commanders’ turnaround from a four-win team to the NFC Championship Game last year has made them a potential Super Bowl contender overnight. Coming into 2025, they are one of the most dangerous teams, thanks to improvements on defense and continuing refinement of the weapons around superstar franchise QB Jayden Daniels. Unfortunately, the goodwill from last season lasted just one week as they ran into a buzzsaw in Week 2 in the form of the Green Bay Packers. Being dominated, their record stood at 1-1, albeit with a winnable game against the Las Vegas Raiders on the horizon in Week 3.

However, in a shocking development, a different second-round pick will be the starting quarterback for Washington in that game. But why is Marcus Mariota getting the starter nod? During their 27-18 Week 2 loss to Green Bay, a stifling Packers defense featuring EDGE Micah Parsons did a number on Daniels. He finished with just 200 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing less than 60% of his passing attempts. His ability to run the ball, too, didn’t create much of a difference, as he added just 17 yards on the ground on seven carries. A major reason for that drop off turned out to be a knee injury that lingered for Daniels throughout the week.

The Washington Commanders are staring down a critical stretch in their season, and they'll be doing it with a new face under center. With rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels sidelined due to injury, veteran Marcus Mariota steps in as the starter heading into Week 10’s matchup against the Detroit Lions. It’s a pivotal moment for a Commanders team trying to stay in the hunt, and Mariota’s opportunity comes with more than a touch of irony. Like Daniels, Mariota was once the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Now, nearly a decade removed from that selection, he’s being asked to channel some of that early-career promise to steady a team in need of direction.

Daniels went down in rough fashion during the Commanders’ Week 9 loss on Sunday Night Football. With the team trailing by 31 points late in the fourth quarter, Daniels took off on a scramble - something fans have already come to expect from the dynamic rookie. But the play ended with a hard takedown and an ugly-looking injury to his left arm. The way his arm bent on the fall was alarming, and the diagnosis confirmed it: a dislocated elbow. Trainers immediately immobilized the arm in a cast, and Daniels was helped off the field. Considering how painful and awkward the injury looked in real time, the initial concern was that Daniels could be out for an extended stretch.

But there’s a bit of optimism coming out of Washington. Washington Commanders starting quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a gruesome elbow injury during Sunday night’s 38–14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. In his absence, quarterback Marcus Mariota has stepped in, tasked with leading Washington until Daniels is able to return. A look at the video of the injury and many feared that Daniels would be out for the season. Daniels will "miss several games" per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport - but it looks like the injury may not be as bad as initially expected. Enter Mariota - who has been a dependable backup and a strong mentor for Daniels, providing leadership both on and off the field.

Now, the question is whether the former Oregon Duck can rise to the occasion and guide the Commanders to wins, starting with an upset victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. With Washington eager to bounce back, all eyes will be on Mariota to see if he can deliver when it matters most. One NFL insider has his doubts... NFL on CBS discussed what Washington is capable of with Mariota at the helm. The take? Without Daniels, the Commanders are not playoff contenders.

People Also Search

The Washington Commanders Are Going To Need To Rattle Off

The Washington Commanders are going to need to rattle off some wins to save their season. They're going to have to do it with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota as the new starter in place of the injured Jayden Daniels. Mariota's new stint starts Sunday in Week 10. The Commanders take on the Detroit Lions in the late afternoon window. In a bit of irony, Mariota was once the No. 2 overall pick, just...

The Commanders And Their Fanbase Will Hope He Can Play

The Commanders and their fanbase will hope he can play like a guy once drafted that high. The Commanders’ turnaround from a four-win team to the NFC Championship Game last year has made them a potential Super Bowl contender overnight. Coming into 2025, they are one of the most dangerous teams, thanks to improvements on defense and continuing refinement of the weapons around superstar franchise QB ...

But Why Is Marcus Mariota Getting The Starter Nod? During

But why is Marcus Mariota getting the starter nod? During their 27-18 Week 2 loss to Green Bay, a stifling Packers defense featuring EDGE Micah Parsons did a number on Daniels. He finished with just 200 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing less than 60% of his passing attempts. His ability to run the ball, too, didn’t create much of a difference, as he added just 17 yards on the groun...

Add The Sporting News As A Preferred Source By Clicking

Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Jayden Daniels won't be on the field for the Washington Commanders, though. Daniels is one of the marquee reasons to send a team like the Commanders to a spotlight international game. Instead, though, Washington will have Marcus Mariota playing QB against the Miami Dolphins. MORE: Did anyone know Justin Herbert had a brother in the NFL?...

The Second Season Of Jayden Daniels’ Career Offered A Ton

The second season of Jayden Daniels’ career offered a ton of promise. After logging in what many believed to be the greatest rookie season from a quarterback in NFL history, Daniels and the Washington Commanders came into the 2025 season with a ton of expectations attached... However, after three weeks, those aspirations have hit a very large speed bump. After missing their game against the Las Ve...