Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has admitted he shares some the blame for a major injury to the squad’s quarterback, Jayden Daniels.
Particulars of the Harm and Context
Daniels, who enjoyed one of the greatest first-year performances in history the previous year, sustained a displaced elbow joint in Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Even though the quarterback throws with his right arm, the injury has placed his campaign in doubt. The condition was significant enough that the TV coverage avoided showing replays and several players turned away as Daniels was treated by medical staff.
Criticism and Coach’s Reaction
Coach Quinn came under scrutiny as many believed Daniels should not have been on the field to begin with. The injury happened in the final period with the Commanders trailing 38-7, rendering a recovery unlikely. It is typical in these circumstances for teams to put in their backup quarterback to avoid injuries to their starter.
“I understand. I’ve been thinking about it nonstop, too, and, wow, I missed it,” he said of his decision to keep Daniels in the game. “This is 100% on me.”
Fallout and Team Prospects
Mariota will be the team’s primary QB going forward, but he will guide a roster in disarray. After reaching the conference title game last season behind the rookie’s excellence, the team have struggled currently. They also lost cornerback Lattimore (torn ACL) and wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (broken collarbone) on game day, and have a host of other key players on injured reserve. The Washington squad are three wins and six losses on the season, and it would take a huge turnaround for the club to reach the postseason.
