The Commanders came into 2025 with momentum and expectations sky-high after a surprise run to the NFC Championship last season. But instead of building on that success, they’ve been hit with a brutal dose of reality-and injuries. Most notably, their franchise quarterback, Jayden Daniels, has barely seen the field in his second NFL season.
That could finally change this Sunday.
Daniels was a full participant in practice Thursday, a major development as Washington prepares to face the Vikings on the road. If he’s cleared to play, it’ll mark the first time all season the Commanders will have their starting quarterback, top three wideouts, and full offensive line on the field together. That’s not just a nice storyline-it’s a potential turning point for a team that’s been stuck in neutral all year.
Let’s rewind a bit. Daniels, the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, looked poised to take another leap in Year 2.
But the season quickly went sideways. He sprained his knee in Week 2, sidelining him for three games.
Then, just as he was finding his rhythm, he suffered a dislocated left elbow in a Week 9 blowout loss to Seattle-a 38-14 drubbing that also seemed to deflate whatever was left of Washington’s early-season optimism.
The Commanders have turned to veteran Marcus Mariota in Daniels’s absence. Mariota’s been serviceable, throwing nine touchdowns to six interceptions, but the offense has lacked the explosiveness and rhythm it had with Daniels under center.
The result? A 3-9 record and a season that’s drifted far from its preseason promise.
But Sunday could offer a glimpse of what this team was supposed to look like all along. Daniels’s return would reunite him with his top weapons and a fully healthy offensive line-something Washington hasn’t had all year. That kind of continuity matters, especially for a young quarterback still adjusting to the speed and complexity of the NFL.
For Commanders fans, this isn’t just about salvaging a lost season. It’s about seeing the future again.
Daniels is the centerpiece of this rebuild, and even in a tough year, every snap he takes is valuable. If he’s back on the field this weekend, it’s not just good news-it’s a reason to watch, to hope, and to start dreaming again about what this team could be when it’s finally whole.