Marcus Mariota’s day ended early in Week 4, and now Washington is waiting on another quarterback update.
Commanders coach Dan Quinn told sideline reporter Molly McGrath after halftime that Mariota reinjured his right MCL and was done for the rest of the game against the Colts, according to Ethan Cadeaux. Quinn added that there is no timetable for Mariota’s return right now. Mariota had surgery on that MCL a few years ago.
With Mariota out, former third-stringer and seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis took over. If Jayden Daniels is not ready for Week 5, Kaliakmanis would be in line to start. Washington also has Sam Hartman on the practice squad.
The Commanders are hopeful Daniels can come back in Week 5 from the dislocated elbow that has sidelined him.
Mariota, 32, has been around plenty of quarterback rooms since the Titans made him the No. 2 overall pick in 2015. Tennessee gave him a four-year, $24.214 million rookie deal that was fully guaranteed, then picked up his fifth-year option for 2019 at $20.922 million. The Titans later moved on after he lost the starting job, and Mariota signed a two-year Raiders contract worth $17.6 million.
After that stint in Las Vegas, he landed with the Falcons on a two-year deal in 2022. Atlanta released him, and he followed that with a one-year, $5 million contract with the Eagles.
Mariota then joined Washington before the 2024 season, and he has since returned on one-year deals in 2025 and 2026. This year, he has played in two games for the Commanders, completing 73.8 percent of his passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns.
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 🡒]