The Washington Commanders have made their decision on Jayden Daniels ahead of their NFL Week 4 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
Commanders quarterback, Jayden Daniels officially is out Sunday.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 2, 2026
Daniels will officially miss his second consecutive start after suffering a dislocated left elbow in Week 2, with Marcus Mariota set to start Sunday’s game in London.
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Daniels will miss another game
Daniels returned to limited practice this week and traveled with Washington to London, creating some hope that he could make a surprisingly quick return. However, the Commanders ultimately decided not to put their starting quarterback back on the field yet.
The third-year quarterback suffered the elbow injury during Washington’s Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The team decided against surgery and did not place him on injured reserve, instead initially describing him as week-to-week.
Daniels wore a protective brace during his return to practice and said the brace did not affect his throwing motion. Washington had maintained throughout the week that it would not rush him back before he was ready.
Marcus Mariota gets another start
With Daniels ruled out, Mariota will make his second consecutive start for Washington. He played well in his first start of the season, throwing three touchdown passes while leading the Commanders to a 33-31 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3.
Washington will now turn to Mariota again for Sunday’s matchup with the Colts, while Daniels continues his recovery.
The decision also gives Daniels additional time to regain full strength and functionality in his injured elbow before returning to game action. Washington will have another opportunity to get its starting quarterback back on the field in Week 5.
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