Washington's starting quarterback, Jayden Daniels, was spotted on the practice field at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this week as the Commanders continue to manage his recovery from a dislocated left elbow. The injury, which occurred during the Week Two loss to the Dallas Cowboys, has kept Daniels out of action, but the team traveled to London ahead of their upcoming Sunday contest against the Indianapolis Colts. Daniels, the former No. 2 overall draft pick, missed the Commanders' dramatic Week Three victory over the Seattle Seahawks, a game in which veteran backup Marcus Mariota stepped in and guided Washington to a 33-31 win over the defending Super Bowl champions.
Mariota completed 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing the depth at the position while Daniels remains sidelined. On Wednesday, Daniels participated in a light jog while wearing an elbow brace, a visual cue that his rehab is progressing.
Head coach Dan Quinn emphasized that the organization will not rush the young quarterback back onto the field. "We won't put him out there before he's ready. That's why it's important to trust the process," Quinn told the media. "But him being back on the field, that's a good step for us." Quinn was careful to note that it is still "too early to call" whether Daniels will be cleared for Sunday's game, the first of three NFL fixtures scheduled in London over the next month.
"As we get into Thursday and Friday, we'll see what that load looks like," Quinn explained. "By Friday we'll have a definite determination of where we're at.
Until then, we'll work and start the process, but it would be too early to call." The Colts, meanwhile, are coming off a narrow 19-17 victory over the Houston Texans and will arrive in London two days after the Commanders. Both teams will have a few extra days to acclimate to the time difference and the unique logistics of an overseas game. Daniels' elbow injury is not his first setback of this nature.
He suffered a similar dislocation in Week Nine of the 2023 season and re‑injured the same joint five weeks later, causing him to miss the final four games of that campaign. That season was also marred by knee and hamstring troubles, which interrupted a promising sophomore year that had begun with an Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Quinn praised Daniels' resilience, noting that the quarterback's determination to return is unwavering. "His drive is always strong to return to play," Quinn said. "Any athlete would probably tell you when you're going through something a second time there's a known entity of what the road looks like. We all feel that way.
He does know what that process looks like and the mobility and the strength. There's a known entity of when you're ready." Sunday's matchup will be the 43rd regular‑season NFL game held in the United Kingdom since the league first ventured across the Atlantic in 2007.
For Quinn, however, it marks a personal milestone: his inaugural game as a head coach on English soil. "This is my first game as a coach in England and I'm pumped to be here," he told reporters. "People often ask me or the team, what's different about international games and you say travel or customs or the venue? But the thing I want to emphasise with the team the most is what's exactly the same, and those are our anchors of what a Wednesday, a Thursday, and a Friday look like in terms of our preparation to get ready.
That's a lot of the reason for coming early, so we can get back into that process. The quicker we get to that, the less focus on what's different." The Commanders' decision on Daniels will hinge on a combination of medical clearance, practice repetitions, and the coaching staff's confidence in his ability to perform at a high level after a significant injury. While the team hopes to have their franchise quarterback available, they are also prepared to rely on Mariota or another backup should Daniels need more time. If Daniels does suit up, his presence could provide a psychological boost for Washington, offering a spark to an offense that has already shown it can win close games.
Conversely, if he remains sidelined, the Commanders will need to continue leaning on Mariota's poise and experience to navigate the challenges of playing abroad against a disciplined Colts unit. Regardless of the outcome, the London game presents a unique opportunity for the players, coaches, and fans to experience the NFL in a different cultural setting. The atmosphere at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with its state‑of‑the‑art facilities and passionate crowd, adds an extra layer of excitement to an already high‑stakes matchup.
As the week unfolds, Washington fans will be watching closely for updates on Daniels' status. The team's medical staff will conduct final assessments on Thursday and Friday, and a definitive answer is expected by Friday evening.
Until then, the Commanders will continue their preparation, focusing on the fundamentals that have carried them this far while remaining flexible enough to adapt to whatever roster configuration the coaches deem best for Sunday’s London showdown.