The 2025 season has not been kind to Jayden Daniels.
After his outstanding rookie campaign in 2024, leading the Washington Commanders to the playoffs and making the NFC Championship game while winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, Daniels simply hasn't been able to stay on the field in his sophomore season.
Daniels had already missed half of Washington's games this season entered when he made a return to action from an ugly elbow injury in Week 14. But against the Minnesota Vikings, Daniels exited once again with an apparent injury.
Here's the latest on Daniels' status and a roundup of his 2025 injuries.
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Jayden Daniels injury update
This section will be updated.
Daniels returned from a dislocated elbow in Week 14, able to play against the Vikings around a month after his last injury. In his absence, Marcus Mariota had been starting at quarterback for the Commanders, but even with the team sitting at 3-9 entering this week, head coach Dan Quinn opted to have Daniels make his return against the Vikings.
Daniels was a full participant in practice on Thursday and Friday, and the quarterback said he valued returning to the field so he can keep learning.
"Who's to say I'm not going to go into next year healthy?" Daniels said, per ESPN. "We take it one day at a time and before I was getting paid I was playing it for free. I have that passion for the game. I'm a young guy, I'm still trying to develop, still trying to learn. These games are critical."
So, Daniels returned to action in Week 14, but nothing went right for Washington. The Vikings rushed out to a 14-0 lead, and in the third quarter, Daniels threw an interception. On the pick, which was batted into the air, the quarterback then sprinted after Andrew Van Ginkel to make the tackle — but he was blocked right onto the ground, landing on his previously injured left elbow.
Andrew Van Ginkel bats it in the air and picks off Jayden Daniels!
— NFL (@NFL) December 7, 2025
WASvsMIN on FOX/FOX One https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/1JUufVQtxW
After the play, Daniels was looked at by trainers and eventually went into the medical tent. The Commanders ruled him questionable to return with an elbow injury.
— Danny Rouhier (@funnydanny) December 7, 2025
Mariota went right back to being Washington's QB1, stepping in for Daniels after his injury.
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What happened to Jayden Daniels?
On an interception play vs. Minnesota, Daniels appeared to be blocked right into the ground and land on his previously injured left elbow.
The quarterback missed four weeks with a dislocated left elbow he suffered against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9. Since then, he's been out, and Week 14 marked his return to the field.
Jayden Daniels 2025 injuries
- Sprained left knee (Missed Weeks 3 and 4)
- Right hamstring injury (Missed Week 8)
- Dislocated left elbow (Missed Weeks 10-12)
Daniels has struggled to stay healthy in 2025, dealing with three separate injuries over the course of the Commanders' schedule. Early in the season, he sprained his left knee, resulting in two missed games.
Later on, a hamstring injury prevented Daniels from playing against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8, and more recently, the quarterback exited against the Seahawks in Week 9 with a gruesome dislocated elbow injury.
Daniels came back in Week 14 despite Washington virtually being out of playoff contention, although technically not eliminated. Now, head coach Dan Quinn will be evaluating whether it'd be wise for Daniels to continue playing in 2025, depending on his health moving forward as the team shifts its focus to next year.