There was a lot on the line when the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Dak Prescott entered the game just one home win away from matching a record previously held by Tom Brady. Coincidentally, Tom Brady was also slated to appear on the FOX live broadcast to watch it all unfold. But this was only part of the story. 

While Prescott got his milestone, as Dallas cruised to a 37-20 victory, the game ended with a concerning injury to a Commanders star, multiple injury scares for the Cowboys, and a concerning hit that could now warrant a punishment from the NFL!

Jayden Daniels’ nightmare injury returs

Nobody could have expected Jayden Daniels to suffer an injury when the Washington Commanders needed him most. That is exactly what happened.

On the final play of the first half, with three seconds remaining and the Dallas Cowboys at the 1-yard line, left guard Chris Paul accidentally stepped on Daniels’ left foot after the snap. Losing his balance, Daniels tried to brace his fall with his non-throwing left arm. His arm bent unnaturally upon hitting the ground before he threw an incomplete pass as time expired.

The moment was so jarring that Tom Brady could be heard saying, “Oh, s—t,” during the FOX live broadcast. ESPN’s Ian Rapoport described the situation as a “potential disaster” for the Washington Commanders.

Furthermore, live visuals showed Daniels briefly trying to walk away before collapsing to the turf in severe pain. After a few moments, he was placed in an air cast, given a towel over his head, and carted to the locker room. Later, Dan Quinn confirmed that initial X-rays showed a dislocated left elbow with no fracture.

This marked the second time in less than a year that Daniels dislocated his non-throwing left elbow under nearly identical circumstances while trying to brace a fall. He previously suffered the injury against the Seattle Seahawks in November and missed four games. A similar absence can be expected, depending on the severity of the latest injury.

Meanwhile, Daniels left AT&T Stadium with his left arm in a sling and is expected to undergo further imaging, including an MRI, to determine whether there is any structural or ligament damage. Those results will help determine whether surgery is necessary and establish a potential timeline for his return.

Whatever the outcome, the injury could be costly for the Washington Commanders, especially given how important Daniels is to their offense.

Before leaving the game, Daniels completed 11 of 17 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown while adding 69 rushing yards on seven carries. Marcus Mariota replaced him in the second half, but Daniels’ absence remained noticeable.

Later, during his press conference, Mariota struggled to hide his emotions over his teammate’s injury. He was visibly moved and simply said, “It s***s.”

However, the Washington Commanders weren’t the only team dealing with injuries Sunday.

Two Cowboys players suffered injuries

The Cowboys couldn’t catch a break at safety. After Malik Hooker was ruled out with an injury, PJ Locke stepped in as his replacement, only to suffer an injury of his own and leave the game.

Cowboys beat reporter Joseph Hoyt reported on X that Locke needed help from multiple Dallas staff members to get off the field and was unable to put any pressure on his right foot.

Further updates indicated that Locke suffered a non-contact right foot injury during Washington’s first offensive drive while running in the open field. He was later seen wearing a walking boot after the game.

Cobie Durant was also involved in a painful incident during the contest.

During a second-quarter play while defending an incomplete pass in the end zone, Durant landed face-first on the turf. As he remained on the ground, teammate and safety Markquese Bell inadvertently backed up and stepped directly on Durant’s groin area with his cleat before tripping over him.

The cornerback was attended to by trainers on the field, helped to his feet, and walked toward the sideline. The clip quickly went viral on social media because of the painful friendly-fire incident. However, the team indicated that Durant’s medical exit was related to a hamstring strain, which could put his availability for Week 3 in question.

Meanwhile, a Washington Commanders safety could face a significant penalty in the coming days.

Helmet-to-helmet collision may cause a huge penalty 

During the second quarter of Sunday night’s game, Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves was flagged for unnecessary roughness after making helmet-to-helmet contact with Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens following a short pass near the goal line.

Pickens quickly got back up and even let out a celebratory scream afterward. However, the play still drew a flag for unnecessary roughness, and Reaves was not ejected.

Under the NFL’s player-safety rules regarding lowering the head to initiate contact or making illegal contact with a defenseless receiver, Reaves could face postgame financial discipline from the league. Fines for certain unnecessary roughness or impermissible helmet-use violations can reach more than $23,000.

The final decision could come later this week as the NFL reviews postgame incidents and announces disciplinary measures.

In the end, the result also highlighted some concerns for both teams. As Brandon Loree noted, the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive tackles need to do more, including Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams. The defense still has areas that need improvement.

On the other side, the Washington Commanders now face a major concern surrounding their quarterback. With Jayden Daniels dealing with another elbow injury, the team could be facing a difficult stretch ahead. The coming updates on his condition will provide a clearer picture of what lies ahead for Washington.