Jayden Daniels injury update: Former NFL head doctor gives prognosis on severity, possible timeline

A former NFL team doctor shared some potential good news about Jayden Daniels, who suffered a gruesome injury on Sunday night. David J. Chao went to X/Twitter to react to the injury Daniels suffered in the Washington Commanders vs. Seattle Seahawks game.

“I’m hopeful, based on my 17 years of NFL experience, that the injury is better than what it looks like it may be,” Chao said. If this was his right throwing elbow, it would involve the Tommy John ulnar collateral ligament, and therefore mean surgery in a prolonged recovery.

“This is his non-throwing elbow. Ligaments torn, but does not need surgery. There may be an associate radial head fracture that we’ll have to see with X-rays. But the results are relatively good with this. Do not see this at all as career-threatening. That’s the best news. It’s not even definitively season-ending.”

Jayden Daniels suffered an injury to his left arm and left the game in the fourth quarter. The Commanders QB was scrambling when he was sacked, and his left elbow was bent back on the tackle. Daniels had a black air cast on the arm as he walked to the locker room. The official extent of his injury is not known as of this writing.

Jayden Daniels has suffered multiple injuries this season

This is the third injury Daniels has suffered this year. The former LSU star missed two games with a sprained knee and one with an injured hamstring. Daniels returned to the lineup on Sunday night after missing the game against the Kansas City Chiefs last week because of the hamstring injury.

“I think just little nagging things,” Daniels told reporters last week, per the Commanders’ official website. “I mean, soft tissue kind of things, obviously, those are very frustrating because you feel good and then something happens that’s out of your control. So, I kind of just take this time to kind of reflect and reset, and when I’m back out there, ready to go mentally and everything and physically too.”

Daniels, who was named Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, threw for 153 yards, rushed for 51 yards , threw an interception, and ran for a touchdown in the Commanders’ 38-14 loss to the Seahawks. Washington is now 3-6 on the year.