The Commanders leader Coach Quinn has admitted he shares a portion of the fault for a serious injury to the squad’s signal-caller, Jayden Daniels.
Details of the Injury and Context
Daniels, who enjoyed one of the greatest rookie campaigns in history the previous year, sustained a displaced left elbow in the Sunday defeat to the Seattle Seahawks. Although Daniels throws with his dominant arm, the injury has placed his campaign uncertain. The injury was significant enough that the television broadcast did not show replays and several players looked away as Daniels was attended to by team doctors.
Backlash and Coach’s Response
Quinn came under scrutiny as many felt the rookie should not have been on the field to begin with. The injury occurred in the final period with the Washington trailing 38-7, making a recovery unlikely. It is typical in such situations for teams to insert their reserve QB to avoid injuries to their starter.
“I understand. I’ve been reflecting about it nonstop, too, and, man, I erred,” Quinn remarked of his choice to keep Daniels in the match. “This is 100% on me.”
Fallout and Squad Prospects
Mariota will be the Commanders’ starting quarterback going forward, but he will guide a roster in disarray. Following making the conference title game last season thanks to the rookie’s brilliance, the franchise have struggled this season. They also lost defensive back Marshon Lattimore (ACL tear) and wide receiver McCaffrey (collarbone fracture) on game day, and have a number of other starters on injured reserve. The Washington squad are three wins and six losses so far, and it would take a massive reversal for the club to make the playoffs.
