The Washington Commanders took another hit at the quarterback position on Sunday.
Marcus Mariota went to the locker room with a knee injury in the first quarter and was ruled out at halftime in the Commanders' game against the Indianapolis Colts in London, the team announced.
Coach Dan Quinn told NFL Network at halftime at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that Mariota wouldn't return and that “we’re gutted for him.”
Insider Ian Rapoport reported later that Mariota aggravated an MCL injury and will undergo testing, with the expectation that he'll miss time.
However, Quinn did announce that Commanders starter Jayden Daniels would be a full participant in practice this week, putting him on track to return against the New York Giants next Sunday.
Mariota completed three of four passes for 46 yards and also had a 35-yard run before being injured on a sack. Rookie Athan Kaliakmanis replaced Mariota under centre — making his NFL debut.
With the Commanders ahead 3-0, Mariota was sacked at the Indy 11 by Adetomiwa Adebawore and Laiatu Latu on third down. Mariota walked gingerly to the sideline, and Drew Stevens kicked a field goal for a 6-0 lead.
Kaliakmanis completed six of 12 passes for 33 yards by halftime.
The Commanders selected Kaliakmanis out of Rutgers in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL draft.
Quinn said the team has “a lot of confidence" in Kaliakmanis.
Mariota, 32, was announced as the starter two days earlier when Daniels was officially ruled out with an elbow injury.
It was the second straight start for Mariota after Daniels re-dislocated the previously troublesome elbow in a Sept. 20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The 25-year-old missed seven of the final eight games last season with a similar injury.
Daniels returned to practice this week wearing a protective brace and reportedly expressed no concerns about further damage to the elbow.
Quinn called Daniels' return to practice “a huge positive step for us and for him."
“We'll assess where we are next week when we get to a full week of practice all the way through,” the coach said.
— With files from the Associated Press
