The Washington Commanders haven’t gotten off to the start they hoped for on the heels of their first NFC Championship Game appearance in more than 30 years.
They have lost three of their past four games to drop under heading into a tough Week 8 matchup at the Kansas City Chiefs.
To make matters worse, quarterback Jayden Daniels is dealing with a hamstring injury he suffered in the Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport recently shared that Daniels is out against the Chiefs and Marcus Mariota will start for Washington on “Monday Night Football.”
#Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who suffered a low-grade hamstring strain on Sunday, is going to be out for MNF against the #Chiefs, sources say.
Marcus Mariota gets the start. pic.twitter.com/PKyM3OUX4R
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 22, 2025
An MRI revealed that Daniels doesn’t have any long-term damage, but his health is too important to risk making things worse, even though this is a tough matchup and a prime-time game.
This will be Mariota’s third start after Daniels missed two games with a knee injury he suffered in Week 2.
It has been an injury-filled season for the Commanders’ offense so far, as wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel have missed time, while running back Austin Ekeler is out for the season with a torn Achilles.
Mariota is one of the most reliable backup quarterbacks in the NFL and has a similar skill set to Daniels, so the offense can transition to him more easily.
But he’ll need McLaurin and Samuel on the field to have a realistic chance to defeat the Chiefs.
