Jayden Daniels was making his long-awaited return against the Minnesota Vikings. Some sections of the Washington Commanders' fan base didn't like it, especially considering the number of injuries their franchise quarterback has suffered this season.
They were right.
The latest, a dislocated elbow, was sustained in Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks. This led to intense debates about whether the signal-caller should be shut down for the season, but it's clear from very early on that wasn't going to be the case.
Commanders' worst fears come true as Jayden Daniels reinjured his elbow
Daniels had two good weeks of practice before finally getting the all-clear to feature once again. Fans were cautiously optimistic, but going up against the Minnesota Vikings' blitz-happy defense under Brian Flores left enough reasons for trepidation.
Still, everyone was confident… until they weren't.
The former LSU standout never looked comfortable. Daniels was either favoring the arm or the brace that was protecting it. Things went from bad to worse in the third quarter, with far graver ramifications.
Daniels threw a screen pass that was tipped and eventually picked by Andrew Van Ginkel. The signal-caller unwisely tried to pursue, despite wide receiver Terry McLaurin closing quickly. He was blindsided by Isaiah Rodgers and landed heavily on the elbow.
Unsurprisingly, Daniels looked in severe pain. The Commanders took a good look at the Heisman Trophy winner on the sidelines before going to the medical tent. He was officially listed as questionable to return, but judging by his reaction upon leaving the assessment area, it didn't look especially promising.
If this turns out to be a major reaggravation of the injury, serious questions will be asked of head coach Dan Quinn and his staff. Those who wanted the Commanders to be ultra-cautious with nothing to play for other than pride will be vindicated. And the unfair comparisons with Robert Griffin III will once again rear their head.
Quinn stated that Daniels could have returned to the game, but he chose not to. They weren't getting back into the contest with or without the quarterback. Putting him back out there wasn't a risk worth taking.
Simply put, this is an unmitigated disaster. And there will be plenty of blame to go around.