A new clip of Jayden Daniels is getting plenty of attention, and it’s not because of anything he did with a football. The video shows the Washington Commanders quarterback moving slowly during team stretches and barely stretching at all, which has sent fans right back to the same topic that defined his 2025 season: his health.
Dov Kleiman posted the clip with the caption, “Stretching is important to prevent injuries,” and asked followers to explain what they were seeing. The moment is simple enough on its face, but it landed because Daniels’ sophomore year was anything but simple.
He played in only seven games in 2025 after dealing with knee, hamstring, elbow, and ankle injuries, per NFL.com. Daniels finished the year with 1,262 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions before Washington shut him down for the final stretch.
That season came after a breakout rookie campaign in 2024, when Daniels won Offensive Rookie of the Year and helped push the Commanders to a 12-5 record and an NFC Championship appearance. Since then, he’s become an easy target for offseason jokes. A StubHub marketing post recently went viral for mocking his 2025 struggles while he tries to get back healthy, drawing nearly 5 million views.
There’s also the more recent buzz around his beef with LSU. Daniels has handled the teasing without much fuss, and camp reports have painted a better picture, describing him as sharp and fully healthy throughout August workouts.
Still, the timing of this latest clip matters because of what’s happening around him up front. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil, the man expected to protect Daniels’ blind side, tore his triceps during a padded practice earlier this month and is expected to miss a significant chunk of the regular season.
That loss raises the burden on Washington’s other offensive linemen, and it also gives fans another reason to focus on every little thing Daniels does. With how often he was sidelined in 2025, every hit he takes this season is going to get extra attention.
The clip itself doesn’t show Daniels getting hurt or skipping anything he was supposed to do. It’s just a small moment that turned into a joke because the concern behind it is real. And after a 5-12 season, Washington will be hoping its franchise quarterback can get through all 17 games in 2026.
In Other News...
Sam Hartmans Commanders Roster Fight Already Looks Much Tougher
Sam Hartmans third offseason with the Commanders has turned into another tense stretch at the bottom of the quarterback room. He entered camp trying to carve out a real role, but Washingtons recent addition at the position has changed the tone of the competition and made every snap matter a little more. What once looked like a developmental battle now feels more like a test of whether Hartman can simply hang on long enough to stay in the conversation.
The depth chart reflects how steep the climb has become. Hartman is currently the lowest-ranked quarterback on the roster, and his path forward is far from clear as the team continues sorting through its options. For a player still trying to establish himself in Washington, the question is no longer just whether he can win a job, but whether there will be a place for him in the building at all. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Face A Backup QB Concern They Cant Ignore
Marcus Mariota was supposed to give the Commanders a steady hand in the preseason opener against the Dolphins, but his night ended much earlier than planned. The veteran backup completed 1 of 3 passes for 22 yards before leaving with a leg injury, after which Washington turned to Sam Hartman and then Athan Kaliakmanis to finish out the quarterback snaps.
Dan Quinn did not have an immediate update after the game, leaving the team to wait for a clearer picture on Mariotas condition. For a Washington roster trying to sort out depth behind the starter, any issue with the top backup is the kind of concern that can linger longer than a single preseason outing. [Read more 🡒]
