UPDATE: Jayden Daniels has officially been ruled out for Monday Night’s matchup against the Chiefs due to his hamstring injury. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was the first to report.
Marcus Mariota will officially get his third start of the season and attempt to prevent the Commanders from dropping to 3-5 against a Chiefs team that looks to have found its stride. On the positive side, the hamstring injury is not viewed as a long-term issue for Daniels, and he could be back on the field as soon as the following game against Seattle. It has been a frustrating start to the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year’s second season in the league, with him missing two games for a knee sprain already this year before this issue.
Washington went all the way to the NFC Conference Championship last season and exceeded expectations by a major margin. Things are proving a bit tougher this year. Hopefully, the star quarterback can stay healthy and rally the troops moving forward.
Jayden Daniels suffered a hamstring injury during the Week 7 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys that caused him to miss nearly the entirety of the second half. The Commanders’ star quarterback was sacked by LB Shemar James and lost a fumble during the opening second-half drive. Greater concerns arose when Daniels struggled to get to his feet and limped to the sideline. He was checked out in the medical tent and then taken to the locker room, where he was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Head coach Dan Quinn faced the media following today’s practice to provide updates on the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year. On the positive side, the injury does not appear to be serious and is not expected to keep Daniels out for an extended period of time. It also is a bit relieving for it to be made clear that he is dealing with a hamstring issue after the Commanders QB missed a pair of games with a knee sprain in the same leg already this year.
However, his status remains up in the air for the Week 8 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Marcus Mariota relieved Daniels on the field on Sunday and started both games that he missed this year. He will be the presumed starter if Daniels is to miss time.
Keep an eye out for more updates throughout the week as the matchup inches closer. It is encouraging that the Commanders have not ruled him out yet, but hamstring injuries can linger, and Washington must continue to keep the long-term view a priority for the 24-year-old.
