Marcus Mariota suffered a sprained MCL during the Washington Commanders’ Week 4 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in London, head coach Dan Quinn confirmed on Monday. Mariota was injured early in the first quarter when he was sacked and a defender landed on his leg. Initial fears of a more serious injury have been eased with the diagnosis.
“The team thinks it’s an MCL injury,” Quinn said after the game, adding that scans were pending to clarify the extent. On Monday, he confirmed the sprain was to the same MCL Mariota injured in the first preseason game. Mariota missed roughly three weeks this summer recovering from that injury. Quinn said the exact timeline for a return remains unclear, pending Mariota’s progress in the return-to-play process.
“Marcus sprained his MCL,” Quinn said. “It’s the same one that he injured in training camp. Don’t have an exact timetable yet. We’ll know a little bit more after his return-to-play process, but he’ll be working off to the side as it goes through the next week or so.”
Mariota’s injury raises questions about the Commanders’ quarterback situation moving forward. Jayden Daniels, the starter in Mariota’s absence, is set to return to practice on Wednesday and is expected to take all the reps this week. Daniels has missed three weeks since dislocating his left elbow in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, the same elbow he injured last November.
“Yeah, the goal is for him to have a full week of practice, full week, and start on Sunday,” Quinn said.
Daniels’ return had been planned for some time. He traveled with the team to London last week, wearing a brace and taking limited practice reps to stay involved before a full comeback. The Commanders have avoided rushing him back and appear confident in his readiness for Week 5 against the New York Giants.
Washington’s next two games after the Giants are against the San Francisco 49ers and then a Week 7 bye, which could give Mariota the recovery window to return by Week 8 if his rehabilitation goes smoothly. The timing would allow the team to stabilize its quarterback position after a challenging run of injuries.
The Commanders have faced significant setbacks at quarterback this season. Both Mariota and Daniels have suffered injuries that sidelined them during critical stretches. Mariota’s MCL sprain is the latest hurdle, but the familiarity with the injury and the expected recovery plan offer some reassurance.
Meanwhile, Daniels will have to quickly regain his rhythm and command in practice ahead of Sunday’s game. The Commanders have opted not to start rookie Athan Kaliakmanis, who remains the third-string option behind Daniels and Mariota.
Quinn’s updates on the quarterbacks came after a tough defeat in London, where Washington fell to the Colts. The loss dropped the Commanders’ record to 1-3 and increased pressure on the team to settle its quarterback situation.
With Mariota working separately on his rehab and Daniels preparing for a full return, Washington’s quarterback lineup will be clearer after Wednesday’s practice. Quinn’s statements suggest the team will lean on Daniels to lead the offense at least through the upcoming week.
The latest confirmed development is Daniels’ scheduled return to practice on Wednesday, a step toward starting Week 5 against the Giants. Mariota’s status will depend on how his MCL responds to treatment in the coming days.
According to Yahoo Sports.
