Jayden Daniels avoids elbow surgery, IR stint — SkimNews
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- Commanders GM Adam Peters told 106.7 The Fan that surgery is 'not on the table' and injured reserve has not been discussed for QB Jayden Daniels after he spent three days visiting specialists; either repair or reconstruction would have ended his season.
- Marcus Mariota will start in Daniels' place for the 0-2 Commanders beginning with Sunday's game against the 2-0 Seattle Seahawks, with Washington having lost 12 of its past 14 games dating to last season.
- Jayden Daniels suffered his second left elbow dislocation on the final play of the first half in Sunday's 37-20 loss at Dallas, on a third-and-goal snap from the 1-yard line where his left foot was stepped on by left guard Chris Paul.
- Dr. Marc Kowalsky, an orthopaedic and elbow specialist who did not examine Daniels, warned that without surgery the incidence of another dislocation increases; X-rays after both dislocations showed no bone fracture, and Daniels will wear a brace and focus on strengthening.
- Daniels addressed his Commanders teammates before the news went public, updating them on what doctors said and telling them he would be around; one player said the room was 'hyped' and some stood to applaud.
- Daniels earned 2024 NFL offensive rookie of the year honors after leading Washington to the NFC Championship Game, throwing for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while rushing for 891 yards and six scores as a rookie.
Why it matters: The Commanders sidestep a season-ending blow for QB Jayden Daniels, who led them to the NFC Championship Game as a rookie, with a four-week absence instead of full-season surgery. The tradeoff per Dr. Kowalsky: skipping surgery raises recurrence risk, and Kowalsky warned that each subsequent dislocation risks damaging the bone stabilizers that determine his long-term prognosis.
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