The Washington Commanders have made a final decision on oft-injured second year quarterback Jayden Daniels, and that decision is no one will see him play again until 2026.
The Commanders officially shut down Daniel for the final 3 games of the 2025 regular season on Monday, December 15, ending a nightmare season in which their star player and his team fell woefully short of expectations from the start.
Daniels’ 2025 season will officially go in the books with him missing 10 games due to a variety of injuries; a sprained knee, pulled hamstring and dislocated left elbow, which he re-injured in a Week 14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
The Commanders are 4-10 after snapping a 9-game losing streak with a win over the New York Giants in Week 15 with backup Marcus Mariota playing quarterback and Daniels on the sidelines.
“Sources: The Commanders have decided to shut down QB Jayden Daniels for the final 3 games, turning his focus to supporting Marcus Mariota,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on X. “Daniels was re-evaluated today & not yet cleared. With him expected to be medically ruled out vs. the Eagles, then facing a short week vs. the Cowboys on Christmas, the final decision was made today.”
From One of NFL’s Best QBs to Afterthought
The Commanders selected Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft after he won the Heisman Trophy at LSU in 2023.
Coming off a 4-13 season in 2023 and with a new head coach in Dan Quinn and new general manager in Adam Peters, the Commanders watched Daniels not just become the NFL’s best rookie quarterback but one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.
Daniels went 12-5 as a rookie, setting an NFL rookie quarterback rushing record with 891 yards and 6 touchdowns while throwing for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He capped his year by leading the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1991, being named a Pro Bowler and earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Daniels’ injury-riddled 2025 season saw him go 2-5 as the starter — and even when he was on the field he looked lost in an offense he’d seemed to master and defenses seemed to have figured him out.
Massive Season Coming Up For Daniels
It’s not overselling it to say the 2026 season could be the one that defines the current era for the Commanders and sets the trajectory for the rest of Daniels’ career.
The Commanders entered 2025 as legitimate Super Bowl contenders after an offseason full of high profile moves, including trades for Pro Bowl offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and Pro Bowl wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
No matter what happens in the final 3 games, head coach Dan Quinn will be firmly on the hot seat when 2026 begins thanks to a myriad number of failings — most notably on the defensive side of the ball.
Daniels will be eligible for his first contract extension following the 2026 season, which could mean a deal worth over $60 million per season. While Daniels securing a long-term deal seemed like a no-brainer following his bravura rookie season, it’s hard not to see at least a shadow of doubt over his future following 2025.
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