Washington Commanders’ Quarterback Woes Deepen with Mariota’s Injury

The Washington Commanders endured another setback with their quarterback lineup recently. Their starting quarterback in the United Kingdom, Marcus Mariota, suffered a knee injury during a game against the Indianapolis Colts. Mariota was hurt when Colts defensive lineman Laiatu Latu sacked him, landing on Mariota as he stood in the pass pocket.

The injury put Mariota’s return in doubt. Initially, he was labeled as questionable due to a right knee injury. However, after halftime, he was ruled out of the game. The incident took place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Tottenham, England.

According to Dr. David Chao, a medical expert with Sports Injury Central and former San Diego Chargers’ chief doctor, Mariota might have sustained an MCL injury. Despite previous optimism about his return, it became clear, after multiple possessions by the Commanders, that Mariota would not rejoin the game. He previously needed surgery for an MCL injury in 2022.

Mariota had begun this game, replacing regular starter Jayden Daniels. Daniels dislocated his left elbow in a game against the Dallas Cowboys on September 20 and has not played since. However, Daniels managed limited practice last week, and the Commanders hope he might return for the upcoming game against the New York Giants.

With Mariota exiting the game, the Commanders turned to rookie quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis. Selected in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Kaliakmanis came from a college background at Minnesota and Rutgers. The team looks to him for a reliable performance in this challenging situation.