Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and tight end Zach Ertz each made early exits because of injuries in Sunday’s 31-0 loss against the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis.
Daniels’ injury marked another low point in a season filled with them for Washington. In the third quarter, he threw an interception to Vikings pass rusher Andrew Van Ginkel and chased after him, but Vikings defensive back Isaiah Rodgers blocked Daniels with a hard shove.
The shove sent Daniels to the turf, where he landed on his left elbow that he had dislocated against the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 2. Daniels missed the last three games because of the injury and returned Sunday after being cleared for contact only two days earlier.
Daniels completed 9 of 20 passes for just 78 yards and one interception before he left with an injury for Washington (3-10). Marcus Mariota replaced Daniels and completed 2 of 4 passes for 30 yards and an interception as the Commanders lost their eighth straight contest.
Head coach Dan Quinn said after the game that Daniels could have returned but the coach held him out as a precaution. Quinn said Daniels, 24, didn’t like the decision but did not have a say in it.
“Just as a team, at this point, we were off,” Quinn said. “And I felt like that was the right call for us to go.”
Asked if he wants to see Daniels, the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, play again this season, Quinn said, “It’s an important development time for him.”
Daniels was not the only Commanders player who went down with an injury.
Ertz leaped to try to make a catch in the second half and was drilled in his right leg by Vikings defender Jay Ward. The 35-year-old Ertz was helped to a cart on the sideline, where he was emotional as teammates came to offer encouragement.
Quinn told reporters that Ertz might have torn his ACL and “the early signs aren’t good.” Ertz will undergo tests to confirm the diagnosis, Quinn said.
Ertz finished with one reception on two targets for 11 yards. A week earlier, the 13-year veteran caught a season-high 10 passes on 13 targets for 106 yards against the Denver Broncos.
–Field Level Media
