The Washington Commanders are off to a very fast start on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, but they now have bigger concerns. Near the end of the Commanders' first drive, star quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to be in some discomfort in his midsection. He finished the drive, but went straight into the blue medical tent after coming off the field, according to JP Finlay of NBC Sports.
Shortly after that, Daniels left the tent and went back to the locker room. Daniels has a rib injury and is questionable to return to today's game, according to Evan Washburn on the CBS broadcast.
Jayden Daniels is heading to the locker room for an x-ray, per @evanwashburn pic.twitter.com/PJVeRpl5Dv
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 20, 2024
Shortly after halftime, Daniels returned to the sideline without his pads, signaling that he would miss the rest of the game. Veteran Marcus Mariota is in the game at quarterback for the Commanders while Daniels is being evaluated.
It's unclear exactly when Daniels suffered the injury, but it could have been on an awkward tackle after a long run by Daniels on the Commanders' first drive. When they got down in the red one, Daniels tried to run again, but went down awkwardly in pain. He finished the drive with a few short passes, and then was seen in discomfort on the sidelines before heading to the locker room.
Daniels has been one of the stories of the NFL so far during his rookie season, leading the Commanders to a 4-2 record. Washington is surprisingly in first place in the NFC East and seems like it's in good position to make a run to the playoffs if their quarterback can stay healthy.
Entering Sunday, Daniels is completing over 75% of his passes with 1,404 yards and six touchdowns. He has also been showcasing his speed on the ground, running for 322 yards and two scores. He has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this year, and losing him for any extended period of time would be a massive blow to a Commanders offense that has been very explosive with Daniels at the helm.