Washington Commanders leader Coach Quinn has admitted he shares a portion of the blame for a serious injury to the squad’s quarterback, Daniels.
Details of the Injury and Context
Daniels, who had one of the greatest first-year performances in history the previous year, suffered a displaced left elbow in Sunday’s defeat to the Seattle Seahawks. Even though the quarterback throws with his dominant arm, the injury has placed his season uncertain. The condition was serious enough that the TV coverage avoided showing repeats and multiple players turned away as he was attended to by medical staff.
Criticism and Leader’s Response
Coach Quinn came under scrutiny as many felt Daniels ought not to have been on the field in the first place. The injury happened in the final period with the Washington behind 38-7, making a comeback unlikely. It is common in these circumstances for teams to put in their reserve QB to prevent harm to their first-string player.
“I get that. I’ve been reflecting about it nonstop, too, and, wow, I erred,” he said of his decision to keep Jayden in the game. “This is 100% on me.”
Fallout and Team Outlook
Mariota will be the team’s starting quarterback going forward, but he will lead a roster in turmoil. After making the NFC championship game last season behind Daniels’s brilliance, the team have struggled currently. They also lost defensive back Lattimore (torn ACL) and pass-catcher McCaffrey (broken collarbone) on game day, and have a number of other key players on injured reserve. The Commanders are 3-6 on the season, and it would require a huge reversal for the team to reach the playoffs.
