Jayden Daniels injury: Scary video of 'dislocated elbow' surfaces as experts weigh in on possible surgery

The injury appeared to involve a dislocated left elbow, according to medical analysts. The same elbow was injured last season.

Published on: Sep 21, 2026, 04:04:48 IST

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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a left elbow injury on the final play of the first half Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Washington went into halftime trailing 17-10, and Marcus Mariota took over at quarterback to start the second half.

What happened to Jayden Daniels?

Daniels was injured at the end of a 15-play, 64-yard drive that took Washington to the Dallas 1-yard line.

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With three seconds left, the Commanders decided to go for a touchdown instead of kicking a field goal. Daniels was stepped on by left guard Chris Paul as he moved in the pocket. He stumbled backward and reached for the turf with his left arm to brace his fall.

His elbow appeared to buckle under his body, resulting in a painful-looking injury.

Daniels had played well before the injury, rushing for 69 yards and completing 11 of 17 passes for 96 yards. He also threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs.

Did Jayden Daniels dislocate his elbow again?

The injury appeared to involve a dislocated left elbow, according to medical analysts who reviewed the incident. The same elbow was injured last season when Daniels suffered a dislocation against the Seattle Seahawks.

Medical opinions shared after Sunday's injury suggested that the recurring nature of the problem could lead the Commanders to consider surgery. However, the team's official diagnosis and treatment plan will determine the next steps.

David J Chao wrote on X, "Jayden Daniels, left elbow dislocated again. Will be ruled out today. Will likely miss time. Commanders could consider surgery so the ligament does not dislocate so easily."

Dr. Evan Jeffries added, "Jayden Daniels just dislocated his elbow AGAIN. Once a joint dislocated the laxity stays and the likelihood of it happening again increases."

Analyst Jeff Mueller wrote, "A lot of people said Jayden Daniels shouldn’t get surgery last season since it’s his non-throwing side. However, this was always a concern for secondary occurrence. I imagine they’ll recommend surgery now to tighten ligaments & ensure NO future recurrence. Frustrating."

Fans react to scary injury

The injury quickly drew a strong reaction from fans on social media, with many describing the sight of Daniels' elbow buckling as particularly difficult to watch.

One fan wrote, "Jayden Daniels injury is one of the worst i have ever seen man, just brutal."

Another added, "This elbow injury for Jayden Daniels is no joke. Prayers up."

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