Jayden Daniels wanted to come back and help the Washington Commanders gain some respectability from the campaign. His return against the Minnesota Vikings backfired, and those in power have now taken the decision out of his hands by sitting him down for the rest of 2025.
With nothing much to play for other than pride, and the medical staff still not clearing him for contact, it's the right call. How the Commanders got there is a subject for debate, but it doesn't change the fact that taking Daniels out of the firing line represented the best move for the franchise's future.
It was undoubtedly a difficult conversation among Daniels, head coach Dan Quinn, and general manager Adam Peters. The No. 2 pick in 2024 admitted as much during his latest media availability, which affirmed what fans have known forever about their franchise player.
Jayden Daniels is disappointed, but he's determined to come back stronger in 2026
Daniels is competitive. He wants to play. The injuries have hindered his growth, but they are only making him more determined to succeed when the 2026 campaign arrives.
"It was obviously disappointing. I'm a competitor. I want to play. I don't want to miss games at all. I've been frustrated this whole season missing games. I want to be out there to help my teammates as much possible. It's been a frustrating year, a disappointing year. My knee and my elbow, those aren't things you can really prepare for. They're freak accidents, so it was most definitely frustrating and at the time, I'd say, traumatic and stuff like that because you never know. I just gotta move forward and get ready for next year."Jayden Daniels
This is precisely what Commanders fans needed to hear. Daniels is correct that the knee sprain and dislocated shoulder were accidental, even if they prompted calls to alter his playing style going forward. There should be slight tweaks, but the team's passionate support knows that their signal-caller will be striving with everything he has to remind the world of his capabilities next time around.
Daniels' predicament is a microcosm of how things have unfolded for the Commanders this season. He's struggled to gain any positive momentum, and the injuries are a big reason why. The former LSU phenom isn't alone, with almost every influential figure and position group going through severe health problems throughout a campaign that promised much but delivered very little.
While Daniels was clearly disappointed by the Commanders' decision, there was a resignation to the fact that this was always possible. What's important now is getting healthy, supporting his teammates, and focusing on the future before hitting the ground running in 2026.
And make no mistake, there is nobody more capable of bouncing back emphatically than Daniels.