Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was carted off the field at halftime during Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys after appearing to injure his left elbow on the last play of the first half. During this play, Daniels seemed to hyperextend his elbow. It was a concerning moment.
The incident occurred when Daniels pulled away from the center but tripped. As he tried to regain balance, he used his left arm for support. Unfortunately, his elbow bent in an unnatural way, raising concerns over potential dislocation.
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There is significant concern due to the similarity with an injury Daniels experienced in 2025 against the Seattle Seahawks. This situation poses the risk of a season-defining injury for both Daniels and his team.
OutKick medical expert Dr. David Chao, former head physician for the then-San Diego Chargers, analyzed the footage. He posted on X: “By video, clear left elbow dislocation… Similar to last season” and added “Joint comes out easier second time original ligament tear heals ‘looser.'” Although the injury was to his arm, Daniels was carted off with a towel over his head, possibly to hide his facial reaction from the crowd.
Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota is stepping in for Daniels for the remainder of this game. With the season at only its second week, the injury puts the Commanders’ prospects in jeopardy.
Daniels faced a similar situation last year. He dislocated his elbow during Washington’s Week 9 loss to Seattle on November 2, 2025. Fortunately, an MRI revealed no fracture or ligament damage. He avoided surgery and wasn’t placed on injured reserve.
Daniels returned in Week 14 against Minnesota but aggravated the elbow. Consequently, he was sidelined for the following game and shut down for the final three weeks of the season to focus on recovery for 2026. Now, his recovery seems interrupted, at least temporarily.
FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO Armando Salguero is OutKick’s Senior NFL Writer.
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