Washington Commanders star rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels exited his team’s game after their first drive with a rib injury, going to the locker room for an X-ray during the first quarter.
Daniels’ first play from scrimmage against the Carolina Panthers was a 46-yard scamper where he was violently tackled and flipped before coming to a stop.
Daniels was seen in discomfort for several minutes and has not returned to the game, being marked as questionable for the rest of the contest.
Marcus Mariota has led the Commanders’ offense for every drive since.
If there was ever a game for Daniels to be banged up in, it is against the 1-5 Carolina Panthers.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels headed to the locker room with a rib injury
Without arguably the team’s most influential player, Washington is up 27-0 on the Panthers at halftime.
Daniels’ mom posted on X ‘He’s fine’ before any further word on Daniels’ condition was made public.
Trainers were seen massaging Daniels’ ribs before he went into Washington’s medical tent and eventually the locker room.
The doomsday scenario for Commanders’ fans harkens back a dozen years to the rookie season of Robert Griffin III, who also dazzled as a dual-threat quarterback.
Griffin ultimately suffered a leg injury which altered his career, with Washington fans not seeing a player with his level of success at the position again until Daniels.
Griffin himself posted to social media ‘For the love of God please let Jayden Daniels be okay,’ with a praying-hands emoji.
The Commanders could let Daniels rest ahead of a showcase matchup next week against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears, possibly featuring the top-two picks in this year’s NFL Draft going against each other.
