Expectations are extremely high for Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in 2025. After winning Rookie of the Year last season and earning next-round MVP votes, Daniels was supposed to lead Washington back to the playoffs and potentially competing for the Super Bowl.
That didn’t happen. Daniels was plagued by injuries and commanders were disappointed. With the team at 4-10 after Week 15 and Daniels dealing with elbow issues, the Commanders decided to sideline the second-year quarterback for the remainder of the year.
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Daniels spoke about the decision and his season on Tuesday, saying he was “very frustrated” with how things fell apart, ESPN reported.
Although Daniels will remain on the team’s active roster, he will not start the remainder of the game. Instead, the team will start the year with veteran Marcus Mariota at center. Daniels said he was improving but didn’t pass enough marks to be cleared for the Week 16 game.
“I didn’t want to miss the game at all,” Daniels said. “It’s been a frustrating, disappointing year. You learn from it and move on.”
The 24-year-old added that he was focused on his long-term status, saying: “Longevity is a big thing, so you have to be smart about that.”
The commander made this decision for a variety of reasons. With a record of 4 wins and 10 losses, the team’s season is basically over. At this point, it seems foolish to risk Daniels suffering a larger, more serious injury that could jeopardize 2026.
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If Daniels is healthy, he could easily get the team back into contention next season. The former LSU star looked like a future stud as a rookie, throwing 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions last season. One year later, he looks like the best quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
But after an injury-plagued 2025 for Daniels, that’s no longer a sure thing. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is an MVP candidate this time, and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has made significant improvements to Ben Johnson’s system. Meanwhile, Bonix and the Denver Broncos have clinched a playoff spot.
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Daniels isn’t actually competing against those players, he’s competing against his own health. The Commanders might be wise to shut down their franchise players after the season. Now, Daniels needs to prove he can stay healthy enough to become the superstar Commander fans thought he was after a stellar rookie season.
