Washington Commanders starting quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a significant left elbow injury during the 2025 season and was eventually shut down for the rest of the year, leading the team to turn to backups like Marcus Mariota and others to finish the season. The team is now focused on getting him fully healthy and resetting around him for 2026 after a disappointing, injury‑marred campaign.

What happened to the Commanders QB?

  • Jayden Daniels injured his left arm in early November 2025 in what was described as a dislocated or serious elbow injury during a loss, with his arm bending awkwardly.
  • After missing multiple games and a re‑aggravation of the elbow later in the season, Washington decided to shut him down for the final three games to avoid further risk and let him focus on recovery.

Who played after his injury?

  • With Daniels out, veteran Marcus Mariota stepped in as the starter and was generally viewed as doing reasonably well in relief.
  • Washington also dealt with more QB health issues (including Mariota needing stitches and dealing with a quad problem), which forced the team into an “injury crisis” and led them to sign Jeff Driskel off another team’s practice squad to have enough depth late in the year.

How serious is it long term?

  • Initial follow‑ups after the November injury brought relatively positive news: despite how bad it looked, reports framed the elbow as something he could recover from with time, though it cost him most of the season.
  • By early January 2026, coverage around Washington’s offseason framed Daniels as still the franchise quarterback but coming off a dispiriting, injury‑filled year, with the organization emphasizing better health and support around him going into 2026.

Current status and outlook

  • As the Commanders head into the 2026 offseason, Daniels is still considered their long‑term starter, and team decision‑makers talk about building the roster and coaching staff with him in mind.
  • Much of the discussion around Washington now focuses on: keeping Daniels healthy, stabilizing the offensive staff after coordinator changes, and adding talent so that 2026 can be a bounce‑back season for both the QB and the team.

TL;DR: The answer to “what happened to Commanders QB” is: Jayden Daniels dislocated and then re‑injured his left elbow in 2025, was shut down for the rest of that season, backups like Mariota and Driskel finished the year, and Washington is now trying to reset around a healthier Daniels for 2026.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.