Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn is under increasing scrutiny following the injury to quarterback Jayden Daniels, who dislocated his elbow during a 38–14 defeat against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night. The injury occurred while Daniels was scrambling to his right from the Seahawks” 4-yard line, resulting in his left elbow bending awkwardly during the tackle. Quinn indicated that this injury would keep the rookie quarterback sidelined “for a while.”
In a press conference on Monday, Quinn acknowledged that, in retrospect, he should have removed Daniels from the game at that stage. “Honestly, man, that”s where I missed it,” Quinn stated. “Of course, he could scramble — it”s Jayden. It”s what he”s special at. And that”s 100 percent on me.”
However, former NFL safety Nick Ferg questioned whether the blame directed at Quinn was justified, suggesting that it reflects a deeper double standard regarding player injuries and coaching choices across the league. In a video analyzing the incident, Ferg defended Quinn”s decision to keep Daniels on the field late in the game.
“The score is 38–7 in the fourth quarter, seven minutes and 39 seconds left. The Commanders are right there on the five-yard line getting ready to score,” Ferg noted. “No one was saying anything about why Jayden Daniels was still in the game — not the commentators, not the fans. But as soon as he got hurt, suddenly it”s Dan Quinn”s fault.”
Ferg emphasized that Daniels” case is not isolated, as numerous quarterbacks have played late into blowouts this season without facing similar backlash. “Josh Allen was still in when it was 30–6 against the Jets. Jared Goff and Caleb Williams were both playing when it was 45–21. Sam Darnold stayed in during a 31–7 game,” he pointed out, advocating for a consistent standard when evaluating such decisions.
Furthermore, Ferg highlighted the challenging position coaches like Quinn find themselves in: if they remove a young quarterback too soon, they risk accusations of giving up; if they leave him in too long and an injury occurs, they face criticism for that choice. “If Dan Quinn had taken Daniels out, people would”ve said he gave up,” he explained. “If he leaves him in and something happens, it”s his fault. That”s the double standard in sports.”
According to ESPN Research, Daniels faced pressure on 51% of his dropbacks, a career-high, with a staggering 61% in the second half alone. He was hit 14 times in the game, the second-most this season, following an earlier game where he endured 17 hits against the Green Bay Packers. This pattern of injuries has impacted his availability throughout the season.
Quinn remarked that the drive leading to Daniels” injury was intended as the final series for him and other starters, emphasizing that the offensive strategy did not include designed quarterback runs. Nevertheless, Daniels” scramble was a result of a broken play, which Quinn had aimed to avoid. “The hindsight part is the hardest one,” Quinn admitted. “That”s what I think about all night and nonstop.”
Post-game X-rays revealed no fracture in Daniels” elbow, but the Commanders are now set to rely on veteran Marcus Mariota as the starter, with Josh Johnson as his backup. Quinn mentioned that there are currently no plans to sign an additional quarterback.
