Return of the Mack … or Jayden Daniels. Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn revealed in a press conference on Friday afternoon that quarterback Jayden Daniels will return for the team's Week 5 home matchup against the New York Giants (Sunday at 1 p.m. ET).
Daniels missed Washington's Week 3 and 4 contests after suffering a gruesome injury to his left elbow in Week 2, which resulted in the Commanders' quarterback being carted off the field. Marcus Mariota started in Daniels' place the last two weeks, highlighted by a Week 3 win at home over the defending Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks. Heightening the urgency for Daniels' return, though, Mariota suffered an MCL sprain of his right knee in Washington's Week 4 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in London; Mariota suffered the same injury in the preseason.
Rookie undrafted free agent Athan Kaliakmanis stepped in for Mariota at quarterback and will presumably be Washington's backup to Daniels. Following a 2024 campaign that saw him win Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and lift Washington to its first playoff win since 2005 and its first appearance in the NFC Championship Game since 1991, Daniels' sophomore campaign was mired by injuries. Initially, Daniels missed two starts in 2025 due to a knee injury.
Later, he missed one start due to a hamstring injury and then suffered an elbow injury in Week 9, which limited the quarterback to one more start the rest of the season. Daniels appeared in just seven of Washington's 17 games, and the Commanders missed the playoffs at 5-12. Daniels has turned the tide in this NFC East rivalry.
The Giants are second in NFL history for wins against an opponent, boasting an all-time 108-75-5 record against Washington. With that said, the Commanders are 3-0 against the Giants with Daniels under center and have swept the season series against New York in back-to-back years. In his three career starts against the Giants, Daniels has thrown for 668 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, while posting a 107.4 passer rating and completing 70.4% of his passes.
He has also rushed for 147 yards. New York is atop the NFC East at 3-1 despite losing starter Jaxson Dart for the year with a knee injury in Week 2. Veteran Jameis Winston has filled in as the Giants' starting quarterback in what's their first year with former Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh as head coach.
Washington is 1-3 and already 0-2 in divisional play, with road losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys; the Giants beat the Cowboys at home in Week 1. The Giants and Commanders will square off in New Jersey on Nov. 12.
