The injury took place during a third-and-goal situation from the 1-yard line. As Daniels took the snap, his feet appeared to become entangled with those of left guard Chris Paul. As he began to fall, Daniels attempted to brace his impact with his left arm, causing the elbow to bend backward. Despite the awkward fall, he managed to release a pass attempt before collapsing to the turf. Although he initially rose to his feet and attempted to jog toward the sideline, he was forced to return to the ground, where he was attended to by medical staff and surrounded by teammates and head coach Dan Quinn.
Injury history and performance context
Daniels, who was named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024, had been instrumental in the Commanders' efforts to overcome a 17-3 deficit prior to his exit. Before the injury, he had completed 11 of 17 pass attempts for 96 yards and a touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs. He also proved effective on the ground, recording 69 rushing yards on seven carries.
The quarterback’s left elbow has been a point of concern previously. During the 2023 season, Daniels suffered a dislocation of the same elbow in Week 9 against Seattle. After a four-week recovery period, he returned to action, only to reinjure the joint while attempting a tackle following an interception in Week 14 against Minnesota. That injury sidelined him for the remainder of the 2023 campaign. Washington had opted to pursue a touchdown on the final play of the first half rather than attempting a field goal with three seconds remaining on the clock when the injury occurred.
