Jayden Daniels suffered a terrible arm injury while his team was down by 31 points in the fourth quarter last night. It’s a devastating blow to a Washington Commanders team that has struggled mightily with injuries to key players. An MRI will be conducted soon to determine the severity of the injury, but some reputable sources, including Adam Schefter, believe it could end his season.
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Daniels’ arm injury looked extremely awkward, uncomfortable, and painful. As Seattle Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas was sacking him, Daniels was thrown to the ground at an angle, forcing him to brace his fall with his arm. That caused his shoulder and elbow to lock in place. And as Daniels’ momentum continued forward, his arm didn’t, resulting in what is now being deemed an elbow dislocation.
One medical expert online had a lot to say about the injury. He noted that this is a common type of elbow dislocation and that important ligaments were most certainly affected.
“This type of posterolateral is the most common elbow dislocation, making up about 80% of cases… The UCL, or Tommy John ligament, may partially or fully tear in severe cases,” said the expert via MEDspiration’s YouTube channel.
Tommy John surgery is a procedure that many MLB and baseball pitchers undergo at some point in their careers, but it’s a much rarer occurrence for quarterbacks. In this specific case, though, Daniels’ UCL could very well have torn.
However, if the UCL is torn, the doctor has good news for Daniels and his fans.
“The good news is this is his non-throwing arm. So, he won’t require Tommy John surgery. A simple dislocation with no fracture costs on average about 4-6 weeks. Similar to what we saw with Khalil Mack earlier this year, with his return in a brace,” they said.
The medical expert also pointed out what a complex dislocation injury timeline could look like.
“A complex dislocation with a fracture sometimes requires surgery. That can extend recovery up to 6-8 weeks, if not longer. But that’s still not necessarily season-ending.”
It’s not technically season-ending. If it were a complex dislocation, Daniels could get back into the fold as soon as Week 15, and as late as Week 17. But with the Commanders already at 3-6, and now down their star quarterback, they might decide to sit him out the rest of the year if the team isn’t competing for a playoff spot.
It’s a shame for a team that came into the season with sky-high expectations. After going on a magical run to the NFC Championship game last year and winning the Rookie of the Year, many thought Daniels and the Commanders would be the best team in the NFC East. But injuries have held them back from their full potential.
Now, Marcus Mariota will take over at the helm for the foreseeable future in Washington. When he filled in earlier this year while Daniels was sidelined, he led the team to a 1-2 record. So, it’s not necessarily a death knell for the Commanders’ season, but it has certainly taken the wind out of their sails. Many would be surprised to see them make a serious playoff push down the stretch with their current roster.
