Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has admitted he shares some the blame for a major injury to the team’s signal-caller, Daniels.
Details of the Injury and Context
Daniels, who enjoyed one of the greatest rookie campaigns in history last season, suffered a dislocated elbow joint in the Sunday defeat to the Seattle Seahawks. Even though Daniels throws with his right arm, the injury has left his season uncertain. The injury was serious enough that the television broadcast avoided showing repeats and multiple players looked away as Daniels was treated by medical staff.
Backlash and Leader’s Reaction
Quinn faced scrutiny as many felt the rookie should not have been on the playing surface to begin with. The incident happened in the final period with the Washington trailing 38-7, making a recovery improbable. It is common in such circumstances for teams to put in their backup quarterback to prevent harm to their first-string player.
“I understand. I’ve been thinking about it nonstop, too, and, wow, I erred,” he remarked of his choice to keep Jayden in the match. “That is 100% my fault.”
Fallout and Squad Prospects
Mariota will be the Commanders’ starting quarterback going forward, but he will lead a team in turmoil. After making the conference title game last season behind the rookie’s brilliance, the franchise have struggled currently. They also saw injuries to cornerback Marshon Lattimore (torn ACL) and pass-catcher Luke McCaffrey (broken collarbone) on game day, and have a number of other starters on injured reserve. The Commanders are three wins and six losses so far, and it would require a massive reversal for the club to make the playoffs.
