It's been a miserable season for the Washington Commanders, as Jayden Daniels' injuries have derailed any hope of making the playoffs. Now, an insider is detailing what went wrong in the Daniels' Year 2 experiment, and how his numerous injuries occurred, according to an article by Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.
“Either way, the projection is there; you're giving up with a dive or a slide. So, both of them are techniques, and it's just a matter of where you're at, what you feel more comfortable with. But it's pretty common both ways when you're giving yourself up,” Coach Dan Quinn noted about Daniel's decision when avoiding hits.
Daniels won the Rookie of the Year award in 2024 after a brilliant campaign where he passed for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while also rushing 148 times for 891 yards and six scores. However, this season has been less than stellar. Daniels has already sustained three different injuries.
The first injury Daniels suffered was a knee sprain against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2. Later, he sustained a low-grade hamstring sprain in Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys. Finally, he suffered an elbow injury against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9. Daniels will not play this Sunday after reaggravating his elbow injury against the Minnesota Vikings.
His recurring injuries have led many to believe that he's fragile, as he already has suffered four injuries over 24 games. But Daniels did not have this issue last season, and part of the reason has been his supporting cast. Inside sources revealed that Daniels has scrambled more this season because he has not had anyone open. Notably, he has not played much with Terry McLaurin, and has also not had a reliable running back all season.
Some believe he could have prevented his injuries. However, there is also the lingering issue of not allowing Daniels to heal from his injuries properly. With the Commanders sitting at 3-10, the season is lost, but more questions have arisen about Daniels and his ability to stay healthy. The entire football world will be watching to see if Daniels can recover from his ailments and change the narrative.
