Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has admitted he bears a portion of the blame for a major injury to the squad’s signal-caller, Jayden Daniels.
Details of the Injury and Context
Jayden Daniels, who had one of the greatest first-year performances of all time the previous year, sustained a dislocated left elbow in the Sunday loss to the Seahawks. Although Daniels passes with his right arm, the injury has placed his campaign in doubt. The condition was serious enough that the television broadcast avoided showing repeats and several athletes looked away as Daniels was attended to by team doctors.
Criticism and Leader’s Response
Coach Quinn came under scrutiny as numerous felt the rookie ought not to have been on the field in the first place. The incident happened in the final period with the Commanders behind 38-7, making a comeback unlikely. It is typical in such circumstances for teams to put in their backup quarterback to prevent injuries to their starter.
“I get that. I’ve been thinking about it constantly, too, and, wow, I erred,” he said of his choice to leave Jayden in the game. “This is 100% on me.”
Fallout and Squad Outlook
Marcus Mariota will be the Commanders’ starting quarterback from now on, but he will lead a roster in disarray. Following reaching the NFC championship game last season behind the rookie’s excellence, the franchise have struggled this season. They also lost cornerback Lattimore (ACL tear) and pass-catcher McCaffrey (collarbone fracture) on Sunday, and have a number of other key players on injured reserve. The Washington squad are three wins and six losses so far, and it would require a massive reversal for the club to make the postseason.
