Jayden Daniels’ Injury History
Short answer: Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow in a 37-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 20, 2026, and X-rays showed no fracture, according to coach Dan Quinn. It is the same elbow he dislocated in November 2025, and it is the latest entry in a run of injuries that has defined his first two seasons.
This guide covers what happened, how it compares with the earlier injuries, what is known about recovery, and how much of this is bad luck versus a pattern.
What Happened to Jayden Daniels Against the Cowboys?
Daniels was hurt on the final play of the first half at AT&T Stadium. Washington had the ball one yard from the end zone with three seconds left, trailing 17-10, and chose to go for a touchdown rather than kick a field goal. He stumbled after taking the snap under center and braced himself with his left arm before falling in obvious pain, and the pass fell incomplete.
Reports say left guard Chris Paul stepped on Daniels after the snap, and his arm bent unnaturally as he tried to brace his fall. He was carted off with an air cast on his left arm and his face covered by a towel. Before the injury he was 11 of 17 for 96 yards and a touchdown, with 69 rushing yards on seven carries.
Fox’s broadcast replayed the sequence in slow motion, and analyst Tom Brady reacted audibly to it. That footage is what most people mean when they search for the injury video (more on that in the FAQs).
Jayden Daniels’ Injury Timeline
Here is the timeline as reported by major outlets:
| Date | Opponent | Injury | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2, 2025 | Green Bay Packers | Left knee sprain | Finished the game, then missed the next two weeks. |
| Oct. 19, 2025 (Week 7) | Dallas Cowboys | Right hamstring | MRI showed nothing “significant or long-term.” He missed one more game. |
| Nov. 2, 2025 (Week 9) | Seattle Seahawks | Dislocated left elbow | Missed three weeks. |
| Dec. 7, 2025 (Week 14) | Minnesota Vikings | Elbow aggravated | No additional structural damage. Later shut down for the season. |
| Sept. 20, 2026 (Week 2) | Dallas Cowboys | Dislocated left elbow | No fracture. More imaging scheduled. |
Nov. 2, 2025: The first dislocation, against the Seahawks
The first elbow injury came on Sunday Night Football. Daniels had just returned from the hamstring injury. He dislocated the elbow on a two-yard sack with under eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Commanders were already trailing by a wide margin.
The follow-up news was better than the visuals suggested. An MRI showed no fractures. Days later, it was reported that he had no ligament damage and would not need surgery.
Dec. 7, 2025: The Vikings re-aggravation
Daniels came back in Week 14, but landed hard on the injured elbow while chasing Vikings defensive end Andrew Van Ginkel after an interception. Early reporting said the aggravation was likely not significant, and the team was being cautious given the score. Washington still shut him down for the rest of the season and let Marcus Mariota finish it. The Commanders finished 4-10 in games through that point, which made the decision easier.
Sept. 20, 2026: The second dislocation
The Cowboys game is the most serious entry because it is a repeat. Daniels’ 2026 season lasted one half at AT&T Stadium before the elbow gave way again. Marcus Mariota replaced him and will take over under center for as long as Daniels is out. Mariota went 11 for 16 for 111 yards and a touchdown in the second half.
How Many Games Has Jayden Daniels Missed?
Short answer: He missed 10 regular-season games in 2025. Yahoo Sports reports that Daniels missed 10 games last season due to injury. He appeared in only seven.
Based on the reporting, the breakdown looks like this:
- Knee: two games (Weeks 3 and 4)
- Hamstring: one game (Week 8 at Kansas City)
- Elbow: the remainder, including the three weeks after the Seahawks game and the games after the Vikings re-aggravation
His absences in 2026 are still unknown and depend on the imaging results.
Latest Update on Jayden Daniels’ Elbow
What is confirmed as of Sept. 21, 2026:
- Quinn confirmed a left elbow dislocation. “X-rays showed no fracture,” he said. Heavy Sports
- Daniels traveled home with the team and was scheduled for more imaging on Sept. 21. Yahoo Sports
- Quinn said he expects Daniels back this season, saying he had no reason to think otherwise. NFL
What is not yet known: Further testing is needed to determine whether there is any ligament damage, which would help decide whether surgery is necessary. That is the key question. Last November’s injury avoided ligament damage and surgery, but a second dislocation of the same joint raises the possibility of instability. One physician quoted on social media said the joint comes out more easily the second time because the original tear heals “looser,” but that is an outside opinion, not a Commanders diagnosis. Treat it as informed speculation.
How Long Will Jayden Daniels Be Out?
Short answer: Nobody outside the team can say yet. A realistic range depends entirely on what the imaging shows.
The only firm benchmark is his own history. After the Nov. 2 injury, he missed three weeks and returned in Week 14, meaning roughly a month on the sideline. If this dislocation is similarly uncomplicated, a comparable timeline is plausible. If the imaging shows ligament damage, the recovery could be longer and might involve surgery, which would put the season at risk.
Quinn’s stated optimism about a return this season is encouraging, but coaches tend to be cautious in the first 48 hours. The next update should replace any estimate here.
Is Jayden Daniels Injury Prone?
Short answer: He has been unlucky and vulnerable, but “injury prone” is a stretch after two NFL seasons.
His rookie year was durable enough to win Offensive Rookie of the Year and reach the NFC Championship Game. The 2023 Heisman winner is also the same player who led Washington to 14 wins, including playoffs, in his first year. The problems started in 2025.
There is a real pattern in how he plays, though. Former NFL executive Ran Carthon said on CBS that because of the way he plays, Daniels will always use that offhand to break his fall, and argued he needs to get stronger. That is one analyst’s opinion, but it points to something worth watching: both elbow injuries involved bracing with the left arm, once on a scramble and once on a broken drop-back. Mobile quarterbacks absorb more contact than pocket passers, so the risk is partly tied to his style. Yahoo Sports
My read is that the knee and hamstring injuries look like ordinary contact and soft-tissue issues, while the elbow is the real concern. A joint that has dislocated twice is the more relevant medical question than a general durability label. Source: Bleacher Report
Did Jayden Daniels Hurt His Throwing Arm?
No. Both dislocations involved his left elbow, which is his non-throwing arm. CBS described the 2025 injury as being to his left, non-throwing arm. That matters for return timelines, since he can rehab and throw with his right arm while the left heals, though it still affects ball security, scrambling and how he protects himself. cbssports
What Was Jayden Daniels’ Injury Last Year?
Last year’s injuries were a left knee sprain (Week 2), a right hamstring injury (Week 7), and a dislocated left elbow (Week 9), followed by the elbow aggravation in Week 14. He finished 2025 with 1,262 passing yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions in the seven games he played. One aggregator lists a wrist injury as well, but I could not confirm it in major reporting, so I have left it out of the timeline. Bleacher Report
Jayden Daniels’ Injury History in College
Short answer: Nothing in the recent coverage points to a major college injury history.
His college career ended with the 2023 Heisman Trophy at LSU. The current injury discussion is almost entirely about his NFL seasons, and I did not find a reliable, detailed college injury record in the sources reviewed, so I won’t guess at specifics. If you need a full college injury log, check LSU and Arizona State’s official records.
How the Injury Affects the Commanders
The Commanders are 0-2 after the Cowboys loss. Losing Daniels again means leaning on Mariota, who has performed well in relief in both of the last two seasons. Quinn said he does not regret the decision to go for a touchdown at the 1-yard line, since he felt Washington needed touchdowns to keep up with Dallas. That call will be second-guessed, but the real problem is that the offense has now lost its centerpiece for a second consecutive year.
A few things to watch this week:
- The results of Monday’s imaging, and whether surgery is on the table
- Whether Washington places him on injured reserve, which would mean at least four missed games
- Whether the Commanders look for outside quarterback help or stay with Mariota
- Whether Daniels adjusts how he braces for contact when he returns
FAQs
What is Jayden Daniels’ injury history?
Daniels has had a left knee sprain and a right hamstring injury in 2025, plus a left elbow dislocation on Nov. 2, 2025, an elbow aggravation on Dec. 7, 2025, and a second elbow dislocation on Sept. 20, 2026. He missed 10 games in 2025.
Is Jayden Daniels injury prone?
Not by the label alone. Two seasons is a small sample, and his rookie year was healthy. But the elbow has now dislocated twice, and his playing style exposes him to contact, so durability is a legitimate concern.
Did Jayden Daniels hurt his throwing arm?
No. The injuries were to his left elbow, which is his non-throwing arm.
How many games has Jayden Daniels missed in his NFL career?
He missed 10 games in 2025. His 2026 absences depend on his recovery from the Week 2 injury.
What was Jayden Daniels’ injury last year?
In 2025 he dealt with a knee sprain, a hamstring injury, and a dislocated left elbow that was later aggravated against the Vikings.
Is there a Jayden Daniels injury video?
Yes. Fox’s broadcast of the Cowboys game replayed the play in slow motion, and clips circulated widely afterward. The footage is graphic, so consider that before searching for it. The most reliable place to find it is the NFL’s or Fox Sports’ official channels rather than reposts.
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