Athan Kaliakmanis is a rookie quarterback for the Washington Commanders who unexpectedly made his NFL debut after Marcus Mariota suffered a knee injury against the Indianapolis Colts on October 4, 2026.
The seventh-round draft pick from Rutgers was Washington’s third quarterback entering the season behind Jayden Daniels and Mariota. But with Daniels already sidelined by a dislocated elbow and Mariota injured during the first quarter in London, Kaliakmanis suddenly found himself running an NFL offense for the first time. [NFL]
Kaliakmanis completed 15 of 33 passes for 186 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Washington’s 30-13 loss to Indianapolis at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He also rushed three times for 16 yards. [Reuters]
Who Is Athan Kaliakmanis?
Kaliakmanis is a 23-year-old quarterback whom the Commanders selected with the 223rd overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. [Washington Commanders]
He played college football at Minnesota and Rutgers, starting 42 games during his career and throwing for 8,604 yards and 55 touchdowns. He added 459 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. [Rutgers]
Kaliakmanis wears No. 16 for Washington and entered his rookie season as a developmental quarterback behind Daniels and Mariota. [Washington Commanders]
Why Did Athan Kaliakmanis Enter The Game?
Kaliakmanis was forced into action because Washington had already lost its top two quarterbacks.
Daniels, the Commanders’ normal starter, suffered a dislocated left elbow against the Dallas Cowboys on September 20. Washington subsequently described Daniels as week-to-week and started Mariota in his place. [Washington Commanders]
Mariota started against Indianapolis but injured his right knee when Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu sacked him midway through the first quarter and landed on his leg. [NFL]
Mariota initially walked off the field and went to the locker room for evaluation. Kaliakmanis entered with Washington leading 6-0, and Mariota was officially ruled out at halftime.
That left Kaliakmanis, who had never previously appeared in an NFL regular-season game, in charge of the offense.
What Happened To Marcus Mariota?
Mariota suffered a right knee injury on the sack by Latu.
Commanders coach Dan Quinn said after the game that the team feared Mariota might have aggravated an MCL injury that previously sidelined him in 2022. Additional testing was expected to determine the extent of the damage. [NFL]
Mariota completed 3 of 4 passes for 46 yards before leaving and also broke loose for a 35-yard run. [Reuters]
His injury created an unusual quarterback situation for Washington: its starter and backup were both unavailable, leaving a seventh-round rookie to finish the game.
How Did Athan Kaliakmanis Play In His NFL Debut?
Kaliakmanis finished his first NFL game 15-of-33 passing for 186 yards with one touchdown and one interception. [Reuters]
His afternoon included some predictable rookie mistakes but also several impressive downfield throws.
Kaliakmanis threw an interception early in the third quarter, giving Indianapolis possession in Washington territory. Jonathan Taylor scored four plays later to extend the Colts’ lead.
But Kaliakmanis answered almost immediately.
On Washington’s next possession, he connected with Treylon Burks for a 47-yard touchdown, the first touchdown pass of Kaliakmanis’ NFL career. The score cut Indianapolis’ lead to 17-13. [Washington Commanders]
It was Washington’s final score of the game.
Kaliakmanis Nearly Had Another Huge Touchdown
Kaliakmanis also appeared to connect with rookie receiver Antonio Williams for an 87-yard touchdown later in the game.
The play would have been one of the longest touchdown passes of the NFL season, but it was erased because Washington was called for an illegal shift. [Washington Commanders]
The overturned touchdown was another example of Kaliakmanis’ ability to attack defenses vertically, one of the traits that helped him earn an NFL opportunity.
Did Athan Kaliakmanis Make NFL History?
Kaliakmanis became the first quarterback selected in the 2026 NFL Draft to appear in a regular-season game. He was the eighth quarterback taken in the draft. [NFL]
He also became the first quarterback drafted out of Rutgers to attempt an NFL pass since Mike McMahon, who last played for the Scarlet Knights in 2000 and appeared in the NFL through the 2005 season. [NFL]
Former Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage played in the NFL more recently, but Savage finished his college career at Pittsburgh and was drafted out of Pitt rather than Rutgers.
Where Did Athan Kaliakmanis Go To College?
Kaliakmanis began his college career at Minnesota before transferring to Rutgers.
He played 23 games with 17 starts for Minnesota during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, completing 216 passes for 2,784 yards and 17 touchdowns. [Rutgers]
Kaliakmanis then transferred to Rutgers, where he started all 25 games during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
How Good Was Kaliakmanis At Rutgers?
Kaliakmanis became one of the most productive quarterbacks in Rutgers history.
In 2024, his first season with the Scarlet Knights, he completed 213 passes for 2,696 yards and 18 touchdowns. Rutgers said he became its first quarterback to reach 2,000 passing yards in a season since 2015. [Rutgers]
He made another significant jump in 2025, completing 62.2 percent of his passes for 3,124 yards and 20 touchdowns. He became Rutgers’ first 3,000-yard passer since 2008 and finished second in the Big Ten with 260.3 passing yards per game. [Rutgers]
Kaliakmanis finished his Rutgers career with:
5,820 passing yards
442 completions
38 touchdown passes
25 consecutive starts
Six 300-yard passing games
He left Rutgers ranked seventh in program history in passing yards, completions and passing touchdowns. [Rutgers]
Why Did The Commanders Draft Athan Kaliakmanis?
Washington selected Kaliakmanis primarily as a developmental quarterback with the potential to eventually become a reliable NFL backup.
NFL.com’s pre-draft evaluation praised his experience, football intelligence and ability to work through full-field progressions. Evaluators also noted that Kaliakmanis made his own protection calls in college and showed improved mechanics during his senior season. [NFL]
His biggest concerns involved consistency. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein noted that Kaliakmanis’ mechanics could deteriorate under pressure and that he needed better placement and timing on short and intermediate throws.
The evaluation projected him as a developmental QB3 — essentially the role Washington initially gave him.
How Did Kaliakmanis Make The Commanders’ Roster?
Kaliakmanis entered training camp competing for a depth role in a quarterback room that also included Daniels, Mariota and Sam Hartman. [Washington Commanders]
He performed well enough during the preseason to earn a spot on Washington’s initial 53-man roster alongside Daniels and Mariota. [Washington Commanders]
That decision suddenly became important four games into the season when injuries forced the rookie onto the field.
What Are Athan Kaliakmanis’ Strengths?
Kaliakmanis’ most noticeable physical trait is his willingness and ability to push the football downfield.
Washington’s draft analysis noted that he completed 28 passes of at least 20 yards during his final season at Rutgers, one of the highest totals in college football. [Washington Commanders]
That ability showed up immediately against Indianapolis with the 47-yard touchdown to Burks and the long touchdown to Williams that was erased by a penalty.
He also entered the NFL with extensive starting experience. Kaliakmanis started 42 of his 48 college games, giving him substantially more game experience than many developmental quarterback prospects. [Rutgers]
Why Is Athan Kaliakmanis Called “The Greek Rifle”?
Kaliakmanis is Greek American and has embraced his family’s heritage throughout his football career.
His first name comes from Saint Athanasius of Alexandria. According to the Commanders, Kaliakmanis’ father, Alex, saw an image of the saint in a stained-glass window at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, when he was younger and later gave his son the name Athan. [Washington Commanders]
Kaliakmanis also has Greek-inspired tattoos, including the Greek word for “family” on his left arm, and has been nicknamed “The Greek Rifle” because of his heritage and throwing arm.
Where Is Athan Kaliakmanis From?
Kaliakmanis is from Antioch, Illinois.
He attended Antioch Community High School before beginning his college career at Minnesota. Rutgers lists him at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds during his college career, while the NFL measured him at approximately 6-foot-2 and 216 pounds entering the draft. [Rutgers] [NFL]
Could Athan Kaliakmanis Start For The Commanders?
That will depend primarily on the health of Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota.
Daniels returned to limited practice before the Colts game but was ultimately ruled out as Washington continued to protect his injured left elbow. [Washington Commanders]
Mariota will now require additional evaluation for his knee injury.
If neither quarterback is cleared for Washington’s next game, Kaliakmanis could make the first start of his NFL career.
However, Daniels’ return to practice before the London game is an encouraging sign for Washington. The Commanders have said they will not put him back on the field until they are satisfied that his elbow can safely handle all of his quarterback responsibilities. [Washington Commanders]
What Does Kaliakmanis’ Debut Mean For The Commanders?
Washington did not intend to find out this early whether its seventh-round quarterback was ready for meaningful NFL snaps.
But the injuries to Daniels and Mariota accelerated Kaliakmanis’ development dramatically.
His debut was uneven — he completed fewer than half of his passes and threw an interception — but he also demonstrated the downfield arm strength that intrigued Washington enough to draft him.
The 47-yard touchdown to Burks gave Kaliakmanis his first NFL scoring pass, while the overturned 87-yard touchdown showed that he can create explosive plays against NFL defenses.
Whether Kaliakmanis gets another opportunity immediately will depend on Washington’s injury situation. But after beginning the season as a developmental third-string quarterback, Athan Kaliakmanis is now a legitimate part of the Commanders’ quarterback plans as the team waits for Daniels and Mariota to get healthy.
