The Washington Commanders suffered a harsh blow in their Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks when star quarterback Jayden Daniels sustained a serious left elbow injury. Despite the game being a blowout, with the Commanders trailing 38-7, Daniels remained on the field. This sparked sharp criticism towards head coach Dan Quinn.

A tweet by ProFootballTalk highlighted, “We talk all the time about quarterbacks needing to protect themselves. Their coaches need to protect them, too. Last night, Dan Quinn did not protect Jayden Daniels.”

Reports are now suggesting that these turn of events may even lead the Commanders to fire their head coach. NBC’s Mike Florio commented, “For Quinn, the season-ending (most likely) injury to Daniels will become part of Quinn’s legacy with the franchise. It’s basically his Washington version of 28-3. Depending on where things go from here (and particularly in 2026), it could shorten his stay.”

Jayden Daniels initially dealt with a left knee sprain early this season. He also suffered from a hamstring injury in Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys. Daniels returned to start Week 9 against the Seahawks. But midway through the fourth quarter, he was tackled by Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas and suffered a dislocated left elbow. The injury appeared to be severe, as the arm bent awkwardly on impact.

Post-game X-rays came back negative for fractures, but an MRI was scheduled to determine the full extent of the injury and the recovery timeline. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted that Daniels would likely miss several games, though there is hope the injury is not season-ending.

This news affected both the Commanders’ and Daniels’ outlook. Since they currently hold a 3-6 record, the playoff hopes are slipping further from reach. It underlined the critical responsibility coaches have to protect their key players, especially young talent with high potential.

The fallout from this decision will likely play a major role in the franchise’s next steps regarding its coaching staff and the ongoing support for its star quarterback.

Jayden Daniels’ injury sparks outrage as Dan Quinn faces backlash

Football analysts and former players criticized Dan Quinn’s decision, calling it “malpractice” and questioning the judgment of risking the franchise quarterback in what was clearly garbage time. Damien Harris of CBS Sports stated, “What’s the point of having him in the game?” while former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III expressed disbelief that Daniels was still playing with the score so lopsided. Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth, broadcasting the game, also openly questioned whether Daniels should have remained on the field.

In his postgame remarks, Quinn admitted regret and frustration, saying, “I’m gutted by it, just bummed.” He explained that the play where Daniels was injured was not a designed scramble but rather a spontaneous action, and typically the play call in that situation would be a run or a short throw.

“If we run it 50 times, it’s either hand off or a throw 50 times,” Quinn added, revealing that keeping Daniels on the field was not intended for risky plays, but acknowledged it was a significant disappointment.

As the Commanders prepare for upcoming games, Marcus Mariota will take over the offense. Mariota has completed 56 of 88 passes this season, throwing for four touchdowns and four interceptions. He will add mobility to the position. However, the Commanders’ poor record and recent injury woes place the head coach under increasing pressure.