Marcus Mariota’s day in London ended abruptly when he suffered a right knee injury early against the Indianapolis Colts, forcing the Washington Commanders to turn to rookie Athan Kaliakmanis for his NFL debut. The injury occurred in the first quarter during a red-zone sack that left Mariota’s leg awkwardly pinned, though he managed to walk off the field to the locker room for further evaluation.
Mariota, who was starting in place of Jayden Daniels—out with an elbow injury—had a promising start before going down. On Washington’s first two drives, Mariota completed three of four passes for 46 yards and sprinted 35 yards himself, helping the Commanders secure two field goals. His mobility and accuracy gave Washington an early boost, but the injury forced the team to adjust quickly.
Seventh-round rookie Kaliakmanis, drafted 223rd overall from Rutgers, was thrust into action with no fourth quarterback available on the active roster. He had secured the third-string job after a solid preseason, but this marks Kaliakmanis’s first regular-season snaps. The Commanders still have Sam Hartman on the practice squad and Colson Yankoff, a tight end who began his college career as a quarterback, as an emergency option.
Mariota had replaced Daniels in the second half of Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys and then started the following week’s 33-31 upset win over the Seattle Seahawks. His injury adds to the Commanders’ mounting quarterback troubles, with Daniels sidelined and now Mariota out for the rest of the game.
The sack that ended Mariota’s outing was a significant moment in Sunday’s game, captured on NFL Network’s coverage and streamed on NFL Plus. The Colts’ defense forced a third-and-goal situation, and the pressure resulted in Mariota’s awkward fall.
Washington’s quarterback situation now centers on Kaliakmanis, whose transition from preseason to regular-season action will be closely watched. The Commanders face a challenge in maintaining offensive rhythm with their top two quarterbacks sidelined.
No official update on Mariota’s injury status has been released beyond the immediate ruling him out of Sunday’s game. The Commanders will evaluate the extent of the knee damage in the coming days.
According to CBS.
