Jayden Daniels Reveals Unexpected Reason He Left Commanders Finale

Beating the Dallas Cowboys 23-19 in Week 18 locked up the sixth seed in the playoffs for the Washington Commanders, but they didn’t expect to have to replace Jayden Daniels because of a possible injury.

The rookie quarterback revealed he experienced “some leg soreness” that led him to being replaced by Marcus Mariota. Daniels explained why he agreed with head coach Dan Quinn making the switch, “At the end of the day, I respect the decision DQ and them make. Now it’s just [about] getting ready for next week,” per The Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala.

Jhabvala also noted Daniels “said it’s an injury/issue that came up today.”  That checks with Ben Standig of The Athletic confirming “Switching QBs was not expected.”

Although veteran backup Mariota led a comeback by rushing for a touchdown and throwing for another, Daniels’ health will be the main focus before the Wild-Card Playoffs begin on Saturday, January 11.

Jayden Daniels’ Health a Major Concern Pre-Playoffs

A trip to the blue tent underlined Daniels had a genuine issue in Dallas. He’d already taken four of the six sacks registered by the Cowboys’ defense.

Quinn and his staff hadn’t erred by putting Daniels in the firing line. The Commanders needed to win to improve their playoff seeding and secure a potentially easier game in the opening round.

They got their reward, but the Commanders have to be worried about how a less-than full strength Daniels will fare against their possible playoff opponents. Both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams have loaded defensive fronts able to create a ton of pressure, the way the Cowboys did.

There’s another reason to worry because this isn’t the first time injury has been a concern for the sensational first-year signal-caller. A rib problem knocked Daniels out of a win over the Carolina Panthers back in Week 7.

The 40-7 victory was engineered by Mariota’s brilliance off the bench. He delivered again at AT&T Stadium to underline the enviable strength in depth the Commanders possess at football’s most important position.

Marcus Mariota Provides Commanders Excellent Injury Cover

Daniels has been the catalyst for the Commanders going from 4-13 to 12-5 in one year, but he hasn’t worked alone. Mariota’s excellent work covering injury also sums up how far the team has progressed at quarterback from the days of Taylor Heinicke, Jacoby Brissett and Sam Howell.

Mariota rode to the rescue again in Texans by providing the same dual-threat playmaking skills Daniels has unleashed throughout his awesome debut campaign. That meant rushing for this score to earn a fourth-quarter lead.

Using his legs has always been a core part of Mariota’s game. It’s why he’s a natural fill-in for Daniels who doesn’t alter what the Commanders do offensively.

One thing the Commanders have done all season is look for Terry McLaurin in the red zone. Mariota continued the trend with the game on the line.

This throw is proof the Commanders can win with Mariota. So is the playoff win he helped the Tennessee Titans earn on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2017 season.

The Commanders are a contender if Daniels is 100 percent for the start of the postseason, but they can still avoid being one and done if Mariota is at the controls.