Why Marcus Mariota is playing in Commanders vs Cowboys instead of Jayden Daniels

Commanders fans were disappointed after Jayden Daniels left the field in the second half vs the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Updated on: Oct 20, 2025, 04:42:49 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Commanders fans were disappointed after Jayden Daniels left the field in the second half vs the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. And Marcus Mariota only added to the criticism. The 31-year-old, designated QB2, threw a pick-six on his second pass in the game.

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota throws a pass against the Dallas Cowboys (AP)

Why Marcus Mariota replaced Jayden Daniels

The Commanders faced a pivotal moment when rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels exited in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. Veteran backup Marcus Mariota took over.

Daniels, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall draft pick, was listed as questionable to return after limping off following a 12-yard scramble.

The Commanders, holding a 4-2 record entering the game, leaned on Mariota to maintain their playoff-contending momentum against a 3-3 Cowboys squad.

Daniels had been electric before the injury, throwing for 156 yards, one touchdown on 12-of-22 passing, while adding 35 rushing yards for one touchdown.

The injury occurred during a third-quarter drive with Washington trailing 17-14, as Daniels clutched his hamstring after evading pressure. Trainers evaluated him on the sideline before he was carted to the locker room, prompting Mariota’s entry.

Washington Commanders depth chart

OFFENSE

WR: Terry McLaurin, Chris Moore

LT: Laremy Tunsil, George Fant, Lucas Niang

LG: Brandon Coleman, Chris Paul

C: Tyler Biadasz, Nick Allegretti

RG: Nick Allegretti, Andrew Wylie

RT: Josh Conerly Jr., Trent Scott

TE: Zach Ertz, John Bates, Ben Sinnott, Colson Yankoff

WR: Noah Brown, Luke McCaffrey

WR: Deebo Samuel, Jaylin Lane

QB: Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota, Josh Johnson

RB: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Jeremy McNichols, Chris Rodriguez Jr.

DEFENSE

DE: Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Jalyn Holmes

DT: Daron Payne, Eddie Goldman

DT: Javon Kinlaw, Jer’Zhan Newton

DE: Dorance Armstrong, Jacob Martin

OLB: Von Miller

LB: Bobby Wagner, Jordan Magee, Kain Medrano

LB: Frankie Luvu, Nick Bellore, Ale Kaho

CB: Marshon Lattimore, Jonathan Jones

CB: Trey Amos, Jonathan Jones

CB: Mike Sainristil, Noah Igbinoghene

SS: Will Harris, Percy Butler, Tyler Owens

FS: Quan Martin, Jeremy Reaves

SPECIAL TEAMS

K: Matt Gay

LS: Tyler Ott

KR: Deebo Samuel, Luke McCaffrey

PR: Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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