Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota suffered a right knee injury during Washington’s 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in London on October 4, 2026, forcing rookie Athan Kaliakmanis into the first regular-season action of his NFL career.
The initial concern is that Mariota injured his medial collateral ligament, or MCL. That is especially significant because Mariota sprained the MCL in the same right knee during the preseason. Head coach Dan Quinn said the Commanders believe Mariota suffered another MCL injury but need imaging to determine its severity and how much time he will miss. [NFL]
The injury briefly left Washington with its third-string quarterback because normal starter Jayden Daniels was already sidelined by a dislocated left elbow. There is encouraging news for the Commanders, however: Quinn said the goal is for Daniels to have a full week of practice and return against the New York Giants in Week 5.
What Happened To Marcus Mariota?
Mariota was injured midway through the first quarter of Washington’s game against Indianapolis at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
On third down, Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu sacked Mariota and landed on his right leg. Mariota’s knee appeared to twist underneath him as he went to the ground. [NFL]
Mariota was able to get off the field under his own power but went to the locker room for evaluation.
Washington initially announced that he was questionable to return before officially ruling him out at halftime.
Washington believes Mariota suffered an injury to the MCL in his right knee.
“The team thinks it’s an MCL injury,” Quinn said after the game. “When we get the scan tomorrow, we’ll have further knowledge of what we’re dealing with and length and all those.” [Sports Illustrated]
The MCL is a ligament located on the inside of the knee that helps stabilize the joint against sideways movement.
An MCL sprain can vary considerably in severity. A mild Grade 1 sprain may sideline a player only briefly, while a more significant Grade 2 or Grade 3 injury can require several weeks or longer to heal.
The Commanders had not announced the grade of Mariota’s injury as of Monday morning.
Did Marcus Mariota Reinjure The Same Knee?
Yes, which makes the latest injury more concerning.
Mariota suffered a right knee MCL sprain during Washington’s preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins on August 14.
Quinn announced two days later that the injury would keep Mariota out for the remainder of the preseason, although the Commanders were optimistic he would recover in time for the regular season. [Yahoo Sports]
Mariota eventually returned to practice at the end of August and was healthy enough to serve as Daniels’ backup when the regular season began. [CBS Sports]
The Colts injury therefore appears to have affected the same ligament that Mariota injured less than two months earlier.
Is Marcus Mariota Getting An MRI?
Yes.
Quinn said Mariota would undergo additional imaging after the Commanders returned from London.
The scan is expected to determine the exact severity of the MCL damage and whether other structures in the knee were injured.
As of Monday morning, Washington had not announced the MRI results or an official recovery timetable.
How Long Will Marcus Mariota Be Out?
There is currently no official timetable.
The answer will depend largely on the grade of Mariota’s MCL injury.
A mild sprain could potentially allow Mariota to return relatively quickly. A moderate or severe sprain could sideline him for several weeks.
Because Mariota already injured the same ligament during the preseason, Washington could also choose to be especially cautious before allowing him back onto the field.
Quinn specifically said the upcoming scan would give the team more information regarding the expected “length” of Mariota’s absence. [Sports Illustrated]
How Was Marcus Mariota Playing Before The Injury?
Mariota had Washington moving the football effectively before he went down.
He completed 3 of 4 passes for 46 yards and added a 35-yard run during his two possessions. [Reuters]
Washington drove into scoring range on each of its first two possessions but settled for Drew Stevens field goals and took a 6-0 lead.
The offense struggled to maintain that production after Mariota left.
Why Was Marcus Mariota Starting?
Mariota was starting because Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow during Washington’s Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The Commanders decided not to place Daniels on injured reserve and initially described him as week-to-week. [Washington Commanders]
Mariota replaced Daniels against Dallas and then started Washington’s Week 3 game against the Seattle Seahawks.
He played well in that start, completing 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns as Washington defeated Seattle 33-31. [Washington Commanders]
Mariota remained the starter against Indianapolis because Washington determined Daniels was not quite ready to return.
What Happened To Jayden Daniels?
Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow against Dallas on September 20.
The injury initially created concern that Daniels could miss an extended portion of the season, but the Commanders received encouraging medical evaluations and chose not to place him on injured reserve. [Washington Commanders]
Daniels returned to practice before the Colts game while wearing a brace on his left arm.
He was limited during all three practices in London and told reporters that the elbow felt “good.” The brace does not affect his throwing motion but prevents him from fully extending the injured arm. [Washington Commanders]
Washington ultimately ruled Daniels out against Indianapolis because the team wanted him to go through additional practice work before returning.
Will Jayden Daniels Play Against The Giants?
The Commanders appear optimistic that he will.
Quinn said after the Colts game that the goal is for Daniels to participate fully throughout the upcoming practice week ahead of Washington’s Week 5 matchup with the New York Giants.
Before the Indianapolis game, Quinn had already said Daniels would be reevaluated after receiving a full week of practice. [Washington Commanders]
That makes Daniels’ progress particularly important now that Mariota is injured.
Daniels still must be medically cleared, however, so his return should not be considered guaranteed until Washington completes its evaluation during the week.
Who Is Athan Kaliakmanis?
Athan Kaliakmanis is Washington’s rookie third-string quarterback.
The Commanders selected him out of Rutgers with the 223rd overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Kaliakmanis had never appeared in an NFL regular-season game before Mariota was injured against Indianapolis.
He suddenly entered the game with Washington leading 6-0 and was asked to finish the contest.
Kaliakmanis completed 15 of 33 passes for 186 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the 30-13 loss. [Reuters]
His first NFL touchdown pass was an impressive 47-yard strike to Treylon Burks during the third quarter.
Could Athan Kaliakmanis Start Against The Giants?
Yes, but only if Daniels is not cleared to return.
Kaliakmanis is now the most obvious healthy quarterback behind Daniels while Washington waits for Mariota’s test results.
Quinn praised the rookie’s approach after being thrown into an unexpected situation.
“Athan came in after 12 plays,” Quinn said. “That’s not the ideal space to begin it, but I thought he also showed a lot of confidence, some fearlessness with that.” [Sports Illustrated]
If Daniels suffers a setback or cannot handle a full workload during practice, Kaliakmanis could make his first NFL start against New York.
Do The Commanders Need To Sign Another Quarterback?
Washington may need to add another quarterback depending on Mariota’s diagnosis.
The Commanders opened the season with three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster:
With Mariota potentially unavailable, Washington could enter Week 5 with only Daniels and Kaliakmanis on the active roster.
The Commanders could promote a quarterback from the practice squad or sign another veteran to provide additional depth if Mariota is expected to miss multiple weeks.
That decision may depend on both Mariota’s MRI and Daniels’ progress during practice.
Why Is This A Quarterback Crisis For Washington?
The Commanders have gone from having one of the NFL’s deeper quarterback rooms to needing three different quarterbacks in a span of only a few weeks.
The sequence has been:
Daniels dislocated his elbow against Dallas.
Mariota replaced Daniels and became the starter.
Mariota then injured his right knee against Indianapolis.
Kaliakmanis was forced into his NFL debut.
The situation is particularly difficult because Washington’s offense is dealing with injuries elsewhere as well.
Star receiver Terry McLaurin missed the Colts game with a hamstring injury, while the offensive line has also dealt with multiple injuries. [Reuters]
Washington also lost return specialist Jaylin Lane to a serious-looking leg injury during the Indianapolis game.
How Much Does Mariota’s Injury Matter If Daniels Returns?
It still matters considerably.
Mariota is one of the NFL’s more experienced backup quarterbacks and has demonstrated that Washington’s offense can remain functional when Daniels is unavailable.
His performance against Seattle provided the clearest example. Mariota threw three touchdown passes and helped the Commanders win without their starting quarterback.
Kaliakmanis showed promise against Indianapolis, but he remains a rookie seventh-round pick with only one NFL appearance.
If Daniels returns but aggravates his elbow or suffers another injury, the Commanders could immediately be forced back to Kaliakmanis if Mariota remains sidelined.
That makes Mariota’s recovery important even if he is no longer needed to start.
What Is Marcus Mariota’s Return Timeline?
As of October 5, the Commanders have not announced a return date.
The team believes Mariota injured the MCL in his right knee, the same ligament he sprained during the preseason, and additional imaging is being used to determine the severity.
The immediate quarterback situation depends on three developments:
Mariota’s MRI: This will determine how significant his knee injury is and how long he could be sidelined.
Daniels’ practice participation: Washington hopes its starter can complete a full week and return against the Giants.
Kaliakmanis’ readiness: The rookie could be asked to start if Daniels is not medically cleared.
For the moment, the most likely path is for Daniels to attempt to reclaim the starting job in Week 5 while Kaliakmanis moves into the No. 2 role if Mariota is unavailable.
But until the Commanders receive Mariota’s scan results and see how Daniels responds to a full week of practice, Washington’s quarterback situation remains unsettled.
