During Sunday’s 38-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, with the Commanders trailing 38-7 and just over 7:39 remaining, Jayden Daniels suffered a gruesome dislocated left elbow. On Monday, Daniels underwent an MRI to assess the damage, with nobody sure how long the injury would last.
The initial X-rays came back negative for fractures, which was positive news. The subsequent MRI provided even more encouraging results with no ligament damage. But today, Jeff Mueller, a physical therapist and DPT, tweeted his take, acknowledging a possible timeline.
“I’m very skeptical that there was no ligament damage in Jayden Daniels elbow. BUT if true, I wouldn’t be shocked if he was placed on IR and then had a chance to return Week 15. So fantasy teams could wind up getting Daniels and Joe Burrow back for fantasy playoffs.”
I’m very skeptical that there was no ligament damage in Jayden Daniels elbow. BUT if true, I wouldn’t be shocked if he was placed on IR and then had a chance to return Week 15.
So fantasy teams *could* wind up getting Daniels and Joe Burrow back for fantasy playoffs. https://t.co/mCdF1iq3hR
— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) November 6, 2025
While the exact return date wasn’t confirmed, this tweet gave fans a possible timeline for the return date. With the Commanders’ 3-6 record and minimal playoff hopes, there’s considerable speculation about whether the organization would rush Daniels back or shut him down for the season entirely.
Medical research indicates that non-surgical elbow dislocation cases in NFL players average approximately 36 days of missed time, roughly 5 weeks, while surgical cases average 73.8 days, roughly 10-11 weeks.
The injury happened when Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas sacked Daniels at the Seattle 4-yard line. As Daniels fell to the ground during the tackle, his left arm bent backward at an unnatural angle. The painful sight left many questioning why HC Dan Quinn had kept his quarterback still on the field with the Commanders already losing the game.
Jayden Daniels’ injury sparks backlash as HC Dan Quinn takes accountability
A tweet from *ProFootballTalk* captured the sentiment felt by many across the league: “We talk all the time about quarterbacks needing to protect themselves. Their coaches need to protect them, too. Last night, Dan Quinn did not protect Jayden Daniels.”
The decision to keep Daniels in during a blowout fueled outrage among fans and analysts. According to NBC’s Mike Florio, the handling of Daniels’ injury could define Quinn’s tenure with the franchise: “For Quinn, the season-ending (most likely) injury to Daniels will become part of Quinn’s legacy with the franchise. It’s basically his Washington version of 28-3. Depending on where things go from here (and particularly in 2026), it could shorten his stay.”
Facing mounting scrutiny, Quinn took full responsibility for the decision, admitting he should have pulled his young quarterback sooner. “I’ve been thinking about it nonstop too and, man, I missed it,” Quinn told reporters on Monday. “That is 100% on me.”
Earlier this season, Daniels had already missed three games due to separate injuries. Two from a sprained knee and another from a hamstring issue. The first came in Week 2 against Green Bay, when he was hit in the left knee by a helmet early in the fourth quarter while trailing 17-3. Despite the pain, Daniels stayed in and finished the drive.
Later, in Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys, he sustained a hamstring injury that sidelined him again. Now, after this devastating blow in Seattle, the attention turns to when Jayden Daniels will return this season.