The Washington Commanders likely saw their season flash before their eyes when star quarterback Jayden Daniels exited Sunday’s matchup against the Seattle Seahawks in the second fourth quarter with a gruesome elbow injury.
Daniels was tackled awkwardly in garbage time on a play that didn’t matter with the game out of reach — a decision head coach Dan Quinn took plenty of heat for in the aftermath of what happened.
Fortunately, x-rays showed there was no fracture to Daniels’ elbow, but he did suffer a dislocation, and it’s expected he’ll miss most, if not all, of Washington’s remaining games this season.
But if there is a silver lining for Commanders fans, well-known sports doctor David Chao, who spent nearly two decades as a doctor in the NFL, doesn’t believe the injury will shorten Daniels’ career or even need surgery.
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He even went as far as to state there’s a small chance Daniels could even return before the season ends.
“I’m hopeful based on my 17 years of NFL experience that the injury is better than it looks like it may be,” Chao stated. “If this were his right throwing elbow, it would involve the Tommy John ulnar collateral ligament, and therefore need surgery and a prolonged recovery.
“This was his non-throwing elbow — his ligaments torn but does not need surgery. … Do not see this at all as career-threatening, that’s the best news. It’s not even definitively season-ending. Other players have returned from elbow dislocation this year.”
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Daniels had dealt with injuries earlier this year, missing three of Washington’s nine games.
He’s thrown for 1,184 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions, and rushed for another 262 yards and two touchdowns, but the injury-plagued Commanders are just 3-6 after going 12-5 last year and making it to the NFC Championship Game in Daniels’ rookie season.
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