The Washington Commanders have not revealed the timetable for Jayden Daniels' return to the field after the quarterback dislocated his elbow against the Dallas Cowboys. They're gathering as much information as possible, as Daniels is scheduled to see specialists on Tuesday and Wednesday, before making any decision on his short-term future.
No matter how long he's sidelined, however, Daniels' teammates want him to know they are here to support him.
"I feel for him," Rachaad White said in the locker room after the game. "That's my brother."
Daniels appeared to get tripped up at the line of scrimmage before running a play at the Cowboys' 1-yard line with three seconds left before halftime. He tried to brace his fall with his left arm, which caused his elbow to buckle. Daniels tried jogging to the sideline but went to his knees holding his arm, prompting center Nick Allegretti to wave for trainers to come onto the field.
Several of Daniels' teammates looked on as the Commanders' medical team examined his elbow. Wideout Terry McLaurin said that the scene "took the air out of us a little bit."
"We were just trying to score before the half and he went down, so that was just really hard," McLaurin said. "I know we had to get back in the locker room and make our adjustments, but I felt like nobody really wanted to leave the field because that's our brother."
The Commanders' entire roster felt the impact of losing Daniels for the game, not just because he gave them their best chance at getting their first win of the season, but also because they know the person he is off the field. They saw how hard he worked in the offseason after suffering the same injury in 2025. He and his receivers went to California to build their camaraderie and get more comfortable in the team's new offense, and it looked like that work had paid off with Daniels putting together an impressive training camp.
And prior to his injury, Daniels looked like his old self on the field. He completed 11 of his 17 pass attempts against the Cowboys and had seven scrambles for 69 yards. He was making smart decisions with the football. He even showed improvement when it came to protecting himself, electing to slide at the end of runs rather than taking on contact for extra yards. He was the reason that the Commanders, initially down 17-3, were one yard away from tying the score and getting the ball back to start the third quarter.
So, seeing Daniels go down took a toll on all of his teammates.
"He's a hell of a kid and a superstar quarterback," Stefon Diggs said at his locker. "Seeing him go down that way, everybody was just a little down. Nobody wants to see a guy get hurt."
"I tried to control my emotions because I had tears in my eyes coming down," White said.
Marcus Mariota finished the Cowboys game at quarterback and will remain as the starter until Daniels' return. Mariota said that earlier in his career, he found that players can sometimes suppress their emotions when they or a teammate experience an injury. With time, however, he's learned to be more vulnerable, and while he was focused on doing what he could to help the Commanders win, Daniels' health was at the top of his mind.
"And in that moment, it's just like my first inkling is just thinking about the guy," Mariota said. "You worry; you think about his mental; you think about what he's gone through."
Head coach Dan Quinn said after the game "I haven't had any reason to think otherwise" that Daniels would return this season, although the timing for that return is nebulous. The Commanders know there are no fractures in Daniels' elbow, and as of Quinn's Monday press conference, the team has not had discussions about bringing in a veteran quarterback. The team wants to make the right decision with his recovery, which is why they are waiting to hear what the specialists have to say about the injury.
No matter how long it takes, though, Daniels' teammates know he is going to do whatever he can to come back at full strength. McLaurin and Daniels went through portions of their rehab together last year, as McLaurin was dealing with a quad issue, and the wideout knows how hard Daniels worked to make a return.
"He's going to shake back," McLaurin said. "That's one thing I know about him. He's really resilient. We have a lot of season left, so he's gonna be able to come back and we'll be ready for his return."
Daniels' teammates made sure to let him know after the injury that they are going to support him. Cornerback Mike Sainristil said he wanted to give Daniels plenty of space to experience any emotions he was feeling at the time, but he did tell Daniels that he was there for his quarterback.
"He knows I got his back and anything he needs, anytime he needs to talk, I'll be here for him," Sainristil said.
If there is any silver lining, McLaurin said, it's that Daniels' injury occurred early in the season, giving him time to make a return. In the meantime, the Commanders are going to rally around Mariota as he leads the offense in the interim. He has their full confidence, and they believe his experience coupled with his leadership will put them in position to win games.
And they want to make sure that whenever Daniels does return, they can be in a good position to stay competitive for the rest of the season.
"We're gonna keep supporting five," McLaurin said. "We're gonna keep his spirits up. I know he's gonna be in the building. We're only in Week 2, and we know he's gonna be back. At the same time, we've got to raise our level of play."
