From a larger perspective, it’s fair to wonder why Quinn is considering playing Daniels at all. The Commanders quarterback has been plagued by several injuries in his second season and has only been able to participate in seven of his 13 games. With a repeat trip to the playoffs no longer possible, it seems prudent to prevent further damage by shutting down Daniels for the remainder of the campaign.
Quinn said the Chiefs didn’t consider doing that with Daniels, but rather giving him a chance to work his way back into the fold.
“As far as what decisions are coming up, we just haven’t gone that route,” Quinn said. “He’s working incredibly hard to get back with the boys.”
That kind of desire and effort is laudable but could prove foolish, especially for a player who has immense value to a franchise. Quinn has already expressed regret over how he handled Daniels’ involvement once this season, admitting he shouldn’t have kept Daniels on the field late in Washington’s loss to Seattle, the game in which Daniels originally injured his elbow.
Instead of learning from his mistakes, the coach will allow his young signal-caller a chance to contribute to what is otherwise a lost season. He won’t play Sunday, but with three games left, we’ll see if Daniels takes the field again in 2025.