Jayden Daniels on being shut down for the rest of the 2025 NFL season: 'It's been a frustrating year'
Expectations were extremely high for Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in 2025. After winning the Rookie of the Year award last season and receiving down-ballot MVP votes, Daniels was supposed to lead Washington back to the playoffs, and potentially contend for a Super Bowl.
That didn't happen. Daniels battled a number of injuries and the Commanders disappointed. With the team sitting at 4-10 after Week 15 and Daniels dealing with an elbow issues, the Commanders decided to shut down the second-year quarterback for the rest of the year.
Daniels spoke about that decision - and his season - Tuesday, saying he was "super frustrated" by how things fell apart, per ESPN.
Though Daniels will remain on the team's active roster, he won't start the rest of the way. Instead, the team will go with veteran Marcus Mariota under center to close out the year. Daniels said he was improving, but did not pass enough markers to be cleared to play in Week 16.
"I don't want to miss games at all," Daniels said. "It's been a frustrating year, disappointing year. You learn from it and move forward."
The 24-year-old added that he's focused on his long-term status, saying, "Longevity is a big thing, so you want to be smart with this."
The Commanders have a number of reasons for making that decision. At 4-10, the team's season is essentially over. Risking a bigger, more significant injury to Daniels that could compromise 2026 seems foolish at this point.
If healthy, Daniels could easily turn the team back into a contender next season. The former LSU star looked like a future stud as a rookie, throwing 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions last season. After one year, he looked like the best quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But after Daniels' injury-riddled 2025, that's no longer a sure thing. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is the MVP candidate this time around and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has made significant improvements in Ben Johnson's system. Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos, meanwhile, have already clinched a playoff spot.
Daniels isn't really competing against those players, he's competing against his own health. The Commanders are probably wise to shut down their franchise player with the season lost. Now, it's up to Daniels to prove he can stay healthy enough to be the superstar Commanders fans thought they had after an excellent rookie year.