The Washington Commanders found themselves in an ugly spot almost immediately in London, and the quarterback situation got worse fast.
Marcus Mariota exited early in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts after an awkward tackle on the team’s second drive, leaving Washington to lean on its third-string option in Week 4. Mariota is being evaluated for a right knee injury, and the Commanders listed him as questionable to return.
That puts former Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis in line for his first NFL appearance. Washington took Kaliakmanis in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, though the club almost certainly didn’t expect to need him this soon. The 23-year-old spent his first three college seasons at Minnesota before transferring to Rutgers in 2024.
The depth chart behind him is thin. If Mariota can’t come back, Washington’s emergency quarterback is Colson Yankoff, who is also a tight end. Undrafted quarterback Sam Hartman is on the practice squad.
Washington is already operating without Jayden Daniels, who dislocated his left elbow in the Commanders’ Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. And the bad news didn’t stop there: Terry McLaurin was ruled out before the game, leaving Stefon Diggs and rookie Antonio Williams as the primary targets in the passing game.
Mariota was also shown heading to the medical tent after taking a hit from Laiatu Latu, a sequence that made it clear the Commanders had another injury situation on their hands. At this point, there’s real concern that the veteran quarterback may be done for the rest of the day.
In Other News...
Commanders Got Pulled Into Jason Kelces Latest On-Air Awkward Moment
Jason Kelce found himself in another clumsy on-air moment during the NFL International Series game between the Commanders and the Colts, when he slipped and used Washingtons former team name. Dave Pasch quickly corrected him on the broadcast, keeping the moment from lingering too long, but it was the kind of live-TV stumble that instantly stands out when the whole audience catches it in real time.
Kelce has already had a few of these awkward broadcast miscues lately, including a separate slip on Monday Night Football when he referred to the Eagles as "we." For Washington fans, it was another reminder that even in a game with an overseas spotlight, the conversation can drift away from the action on the field and into the broadcast booth. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders London Game Suddenly Feels Very Different Before Colts Matchup
The Commanders trip to London just picked up a different kind of weight. What was already an unusual early kickoff against the Colts on Oct. 4 now has a new quarterback storyline attached to it, with Jayden Daniels sidelined and Marcus Mariota set to make the start. Washington is also carrying a mixed injury picture into the game, with Sam Cosmi and Nick Cross ruled out while Frankie Luvu and Chig Okonkwo are back in the fold.
For a team trying to keep its footing on an international stage, the ripple effects are hard to ignore. A morning kickoff alone can alter the feel of a game, but losing Daniels changes the way Washington will have to approach everything from protection to tempo against Indianapolis, even as a few injured pieces return to help stabilize the roster. The matchup still has plenty of intrigue, but it now looks like a very different kind of test for the Commanders. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Now Face A Brutal Problem Heading Into Division Games
The Commanders left London not just with a loss to the Colts, but with a deeper sense of urgency heading into the division stretch. Playing with third-string quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis after injuries sidelined Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, Washington was already operating under difficult conditions before Indianapolis pulled away for a 30-13 win. Jonathan Taylor powered the Colts with two rushing touchdowns, and Daniel Jones added another on the ground even while his passing day never quite got going.
For Washington, the bigger concern is how thin the offense looked by the end of the trip. Wide receiver Jaylin Lane also exited with an ankle injury, adding another health issue to a unit that is suddenly scrambling for answers. With division games up next, the Commanders are facing a stretch where every missing piece matters, and the margin for error already looks painfully small. [Read more 🡒]