Washington Commanders leader Dan Quinn has admitted he bears a portion of the blame for a major ailment to the squad’s signal-caller, Jayden 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 Sunday’s defeat to the Seattle Seahawks. Even though Daniels throws with his right arm, the injury has left his season in doubt. The condition was significant enough that the TV coverage avoided showing repeats and several athletes turned away as he was treated by medical staff.
Criticism and Coach’s Response
Coach Quinn faced criticism as many believed Daniels ought not to have been on the field in the first place. The incident occurred in the fourth quarter with the Commanders trailing 38-7, rendering a recovery unlikely. It is typical in such situations for teams to put in their backup quarterback to prevent injuries to their first-string player.
“I get that. I’ve been reflecting about it constantly, too, and, man, I missed it,” he said of his decision to leave Jayden in the match. “This is 100% my fault.”
Fallout and Team Prospects
Marcus Mariota will be the Commanders’ starting quarterback from now on, but he will lead a roster in disarray. Following reaching the conference title game the prior year thanks to the rookie’s excellence, the team have faced difficulties this season. They also lost defensive back Lattimore (torn ACL) and pass-catcher McCaffrey (collarbone fracture) on game day, and have a host of other starters on the injury list. The Commanders are three wins and six losses so far, and it would take a massive reversal for the club to reach the playoffs.
