The Washington Commanders announced that Jayden Daniels will not be playing in the Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders due to a knee injury. Instead, backup quarterback Marcus Mariota will get the start. With the game just days away, Robert Griffin III shares his take on the organization's decision.
Griffin, who played for the Commanders franchise for three seasons (when they were still called the Washington Redskins), applauded the organization for the decision to sit Daniels against the Raiders. The former NFL quarterback likes that Washington is prioritizing the 24-year-old's long-term health over the club's potential short-term success.
“The Washington Commanders are doing the right thing with Jayden Daniels by not playing him with a knee injury. Don’t play with his long-term future for short-term gain. All players want to play, but it is the organization's job to protect the players' future. Bravo.”
Robert Griffin III suffered a similar fate during his tenure in Washington. After having a spectacular rookie campaign in the 2013-14 season, Griffin dealt with and played through numerous injuries, including a knee injury that forced him to miss multiple games and affected his long-term career in the league.
Daniels suffered the knee injury in the Commanders' 27-18 Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Commanders struggled much throughout that game, as the offense couldn't get anything rolling. Washington allowed four sacks in that game while only accumulating 230 total yards of offense.
Mariota gets the starting nod against the Raiders while Daniels takes a week off to nurse his knee. After emerging as a superstar talent in his rookie season, the Commanders are seemingly wanting to protect Jayden Daniels for the long haul. Through 19 games played so far in his career, the former first-round pick has recorded 4,001 passing yards, 166 rushing yards, and 34 total touchdowns (28 passing), while owning a career 67.8% completion percentage.
