There was little reason to believe Jayden Daniels was going to announce at his media availability on Thursday that he planned to start against the Colts on Sunday.
But his non-answers further raise the minute chance that the Commanders quarterback will be able to suit up just two weeks after dislocating his left elbow.
Making the trip all the way to London was one thing. Practicing, albeit in a limited fashion, this week was another. But there was something about how he answered questions that makes his miraculous recovery all the more believable.
When asked if he was surprised how quickly he was able to get back on a field, Daniels simply smirked and replied: “What you think?”
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Whether or not Daniels takes the field Sunday is yet to be decided, but he appears convinced not only that he’s healthy enough to play, but also that there’s no severe threat for further damage to his arm.
“Everybody said I’ll be good to go if I’m able to go out there on Sunday,” Daniels said. “But again, just taking it day by day.”
Daniels, who dislocated the same elbow last November, said he was less frustrated about a repeat injury — and more that it happened while he was in a “groove and rhythm” against the Cowboys. On the drive he got injured on, Daniels accounted for 37 passing and 24 rushing yards.
“When it happened, I was just chilling, watching the game, cheering on the guys in the back,” Daniels said. “But from there, it was really, ‘Got through this once, so I can get through it again.’”
Part of getting through the injury was choosing to not have surgery on the elbow, at least for now. Daniels said it was an option on the table — both now and after the season — but he decided against it because he felt it was his responsibility as a leader to play through pain the way so many of his teammates do.
“I love football. I play football, and I get paid to play football, so I owe it to my teammates,” he said, wearing a gray compression sleeve.
In order to play, Daniels will have to wear a brace on his arm, which he has sported all week during practices. It’s a different brace than the one he wore last season after returning from the first dislocation. He lasted 2 ½ quarters in that brace before re-aggravating the elbow when he was knocked to the ground on an interception return, and the Commanders shut him down for the remainder of that season.
The current brace allows flexion but not the ability to extend the arm, which was a recommendation by Daniels’ doctor.
Daniels said he won’t have to alter his throwing motion or how he hands the ball off to the running backs. As far as the risk of further injury, he emphasized multiple times that “that’s what the brace is for.”
With how backup Marcus Mariota performed last week in a win over Seattle (three touchdown passes), Daniels’ immediate return isn’t necessarily necessary. And head coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday that the team won’t bring Daniels back “before he’s ready.”
So is he ready? Daniels was asked that point blank on Thursday.
“Taking it day by day,” he responded, again with a smirk.
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