Quarterback Jayden Daniels will miss the Washington Commanders’ Week 10 game at Detroit after suffering a dislocated left elbow in Week 9 at Seattle, the team said Friday. Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed Daniels will not require surgery and will not be placed on Injured Reserve at this time. The team held a final review of Daniels’ recovery plan earlier in the week and said medical staff will continue monitoring his progress. The Commanders will reassess the quarterback during their bye week following Week 11’s game in Madrid.
Key Takeaways
- Jayden Daniels (left elbow) is listed OUT for Week 10 against the Detroit Lions after a dislocation in Week 9 at Seattle.
- Coaching staff and medical evaluators determined Daniels does not need surgery; coach Dan Quinn confirmed that decision Friday.
- The team is not placing Daniels on Injured Reserve at this time and will continue to monitor him through the bye week after Week 11 in Madrid.
- It remains technically possible for Daniels to return this season, but no decision has been made about the final six games.
- Wide receiver Terry McLaurin (quad) is also OUT for Week 10; three players are listed as QUESTIONABLE.
- Commanders provided a full Week 10 availability list; non-game-day designations include one player on NIR (rest).
Background
The injury occurred in Week 9 during Washington’s road game at the Seattle Seahawks, when Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow. Elbow dislocations in pro football can vary widely in severity, from brief immobilization with rapid recovery to complex cases requiring surgery and long-term rehab. The Commanders brought in a second-opinion process and completed a final medical meeting earlier in the week to clarify treatment options.
Daniels, who began the season as the Commanders’ starting quarterback, has been the focus of media and fan attention since the injury owing to his role in the offense and the team’s position in the NFC East. The franchise must balance short-term roster needs with Daniels’ long-term health when deciding on placements such as Injured Reserve, which carries procedural timelines for return.
Main Event
After consulting team physicians and outside specialists, Washington officials concluded Friday that surgery is not required to treat Daniels’ dislocated elbow. Coach Dan Quinn explained the decision followed a methodical process of reviews and second opinions rather than a single evaluation. The Commanders announced Daniels is out for Week 10 versus the Detroit Lions but did not move him to Injured Reserve.
The club said medical staff will keep tracking Daniels’ rehabilitation schedule and will reexamine his status during the upcoming bye week after the Week 11 matchup in Madrid against the Miami Dolphins. That assessment will factor into whether a midseason return is realistic or whether a longer recovery window is prudent. Technically, a late-season return remains possible, but the organization has not committed to that outcome.
The Week 10 status report also confirmed Terry McLaurin (quad) will not play, while defensive lineman Eddie Goldman (concussion), safety Quan Martin (hamstring) and safety Tyler Owens (hamstring/neck) are listed as QUESTIONABLE. One player, DT Javon Kinlaw, is on the NIR list for rest; the rest of the roster entries carry no game-day designation.
Washington’s handling of Daniels’ injury follows established NFL protocols for shoulder and elbow trauma, emphasizing imaging, specialist input and staged rehabilitation before deciding on surgical intervention. The club emphasized a preference to avoid surgery when conservative care provides an acceptable prognosis for return.
Comparison & Data
| Status | Players |
|---|---|
| OUT | 2 |
| QUESTIONABLE | 3 |
| NIR (Rest) | 1 |
| No designation/Available | 7 |
The Week 10 list published by the team includes 13 named players. Two are officially out, three are questionable and one is on NIR for rest. That distribution leaves the Commanders with several rotational uncertainties on defense and at skill positions for the matchup in Detroit.
Analysis & Implications
Medical: Avoiding surgery generally shortens rehabilitation time and reduces the risk of procedure-related complications, but elbow dislocations can still require weeks of immobilization and progressive strengthening. The team’s decision suggests physicians believe conservative care gives Daniels a reasonable chance to recover without operative repair.
Roster management: Leaving Daniels off Injured Reserve preserves roster flexibility in the short term and allows the team to react to his progress without the IR’s mandatory timeline. However, if recovery stalls or setbacks occur, the club could still place him on IR later, which would carry roster and practice-squad implications.
On-field impact: Daniels’ absence for Week 10 forces Washington to activate its backup plan and adjust offensive game-planning for Detroit’s defense. Losing Terry McLaurin compounds passing-game concerns, increasing pressure on backups and schematic shifts to compensate for reduced personnel.
Season outlook: While a return later this season is not ruled out, the Commanders must weigh playoff timetables against the imperative of ensuring Daniels’ full recovery. The upcoming bye-week recheck in Week 12 (after the Madrid game) will be a critical juncture for determining his availability in the final stretch.
Reactions & Quotes
Coach Dan Quinn framed the medical review as thorough and positive, stressing the value of second opinions in making an informed choice about treatment.
‘I thought it was a good process, like all the players do to get second opinions and getting all the information on what to do and how to do it.’
Dan Quinn, Head Coach (team announcement)
Quinn also underlined the practical difference for the player and the club coming from a non-surgical outcome.
‘It’s a good deal with no surgery. Obviously, that makes a big difference when you have an injury not to go down that road.’
Dan Quinn, Head Coach (press release)
Unconfirmed
- Whether Jayden Daniels will play again this season remains undecided; the team says a return is possible but has not set a timeline.
- Any future decision to place Daniels on Injured Reserve has not been ruled out and will depend on his progress at the bye-week evaluation.
Bottom Line
The Commanders avoided the most disruptive immediate outcome for Jayden Daniels by deciding against surgery, preserving his chance to return while prioritizing conservative care. Still, the quarterback will not be available for Week 10 and his status for the final six games is uncertain until the post-Madrid bye-week reassessment.
For Washington, the next two weeks—preparing backups for Detroit and then reexamining Daniels after Week 11—will determine whether the team can keep its playoff hopes intact without its starting quarterback. Fans and roster planners should watch the medical update after the bye week as the decisive signal on Daniels’ timeline.