Football is a brutal business. One minute you're the toast of the town, the savior of a franchise that has been wandering the desert for decades, and the next, you're watching from the sidelines with a headset on. That is basically the reality for Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels right now.
After an absolute tear in 2024, the vibes in D.C. were higher than they’ve been since the early '90s. Daniels didn't just play well; he looked like a glitch in the Matrix. 3,568 passing yards. 25 touchdowns through the air. Another 891 yards and 6 scores on the ground. He walked away with the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year trophy and carried the Commanders to a 12-5 record. Honestly, people were already scouting Super Bowl parade routes.
Then 2025 happened.
The Sophomore Slump or Just Bad Luck?
If you look at the raw numbers from this past season, they look... well, they look incomplete. Because they are. Daniels played in just seven games. He threw for 1,262 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 3 picks. Those aren't "bust" numbers, but they’re a far cry from the video-game stats he was putting up during his rookie campaign.
What went wrong? It wasn't that he forgot how to play football. It was the "injury bug," but even that feels like an understatement. It was more like an injury infestation.
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- Week 2: A knee sprain against the Packers sidelined him for two weeks.
- Week 7: Just as he was getting his rhythm back, a hamstring strain against Dallas knocked him out again.
- Week 9: The big one. A "gruesome" elbow injury to his non-throwing arm during a blowout loss to Seattle.
The image of his arm bending the wrong way is something Commanders fans won't forget anytime soon. It was ugly. Head Coach Dan Quinn later admitted Jayden probably shouldn't have even been in the game at that point. Washington was down big, the game was over, and their franchise cornerstone was still out there taking hits.
That "Freak Accident" Label
There’s a lot of chatter about whether Jayden Daniels needs to change how he plays. Critics say he takes too many hits. They say a 210-pound frame can't handle the NFL's weekly car crashes if he keeps tucking the ball and running.
Jayden doesn't see it that way. He calls them "freak accidents." And honestly, he’s kinda right. A dislocated elbow on a tackle isn't exactly a "wear and tear" injury. But the NFL is a league of availability. If you aren't on the field, the "savior" label starts to peel off pretty fast.
The Commanders' front office, led by Adam Peters, has a massive task this offseason. They have the most salary cap space in the league for 2026, and they need to spend it on a literal "human shield" for Daniels. The offensive line struggled. The defense was even worse—allowing an NFL-high 384 yards per game. When your defense can't stop a nosebleed, your quarterback feels like he has to score on every single possession. That leads to risks. Risks lead to hits. Hits lead to the IR.
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The Reality Check for 2026
We have to be real about where things stand. The Commanders finished 2025 with an eight-game losing streak. The offense looked flat without Terry McLaurin for long stretches. Even when Jayden was out there, he wasn't the same. His completion percentage dipped from a record-setting 69% to about 61%.
But don't bail on him yet.
He’s still only 25. He’s already proven he can lead a team to the playoffs and win a Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The talent is undeniable. The "problem" is that the blueprint for his success—Kliff Kingsbury’s offense and a healthy roster—fell apart in 2025.
Moving into Year 3, the Commanders are likely looking at a new offensive coordinator after Joe Whitt Jr. and the defensive staff failed to move the needle. Daniels will have to learn a new system while rehabing that elbow. It’s not the "breakout" year everyone predicted, but it’s a necessary reset.
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What to Watch This Offseason
Washington holds the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The move is simple: Get this man a tackle or a blue-chip receiver. Luke McCaffrey showed flashes but ended the year on IR with a broken collarbone. Deebo Samuel was a great veteran addition, but he’s not getting younger.
The defense needs a complete overhaul. You can't ask a young QB to win 41-38 every week. It's not sustainable. If Peters can use that cap space to build a top-15 defense, Jayden won't feel the need to be a hero on every third-and-long.
Actionable Next Steps for Commanders Fans
- Stop the "Bust" Narrative: 2025 was an "incomplete," not a failure. Look at the context of the injuries before judging the regression in stats.
- Monitor the Coaching Hires: Whoever is brought in to run the offense will determine if Jayden returns to his 2024 form or stays in this "dink and dunk" shell we saw late in 2025.
- Watch the Draft: If Washington skips an O-lineman at No. 7, be worried. Jayden needs protection more than he needs another flashy gadget player.
- Expect a Playing Style Shift: Expect fewer designed runs in 2026. The coaching staff has to protect him from himself, even if he hates sitting in the pocket.
The Jayden Daniels era in D.C. isn't over. It’s just hitting its first real speed bump. How he—and the organization—responds to this disastrous second season will define the next decade of Washington football.