NFL execs critique Commanders' Jayden Daniels over surgery decision

NFL execs critique Commanders’ Jayden Daniels over surgery decision originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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In Week 2, during the Washington Commanders‘ loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow that is going to force him to miss Week 3 and likely Week 4 as well.

But instead of having surgery to repair his left elbow, Daniels is opting against surgery and will try to return this season. This decision by Daniels is a risky one, and multiple NFL executives are not fans of this choice from the Commanders’ QB.

According to Jonathan Jones of The Athletic, multiple NFL executives critiqued Daniels for not having surgery, questioning the Commanders quarterback over this risky decision that could put his financial future at risk.

Jayden Daniels questioned by NFL execs over surgery decision

“While executives from other teams don’t have access to the information Washington has, there has been skepticism across the league this week about Daniels going the nonsurgical route,” Jones writes.

Surgery would likely end Daniels’ 2026 season, but put him on track to be good to go for Week 1 of the 2027 NFL season, and his fourth year with the Commanders.

One NFL executive said, “If I’m the kid, I get the surgery. I get it might put the team in a weird spot. … I wouldn’t pay him without surgery.”

This executive wouldn’t extend Daniels to a long-term deal if he didn’t have elbow surgery. While this isn’t an executive from the Commanders talking, if there are people in the front office who have the same belief, Daniels’ decision this year could be trouble.

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Another executive bashed Daniels over the risk of coming back and not opting for surgery, saying, “him coming back early for a team that’s on the fringe of making the playoffs (even if he is) 100 percent.”

These two NFL executives are not fans of Daniels’ decision, one questioning the long-term financial impact and the other the short-term playoff pursuit from Washington this year.

The Commanders are 0-2, and with Marcus Mariota at the helm for Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks, an 0-3 start is looking very likely.

Daniels is risking his health amid this left elbow injury by not having surgery, and is doing so for a team that is likely to be 0-3, if not worse, by the time he’s back.

Jones sharing these quotes from NFL executives reveals some of the concern from around the league about Daniels’ opting not to have surgery. While surgery would end his season, it might be the best for his long-term health.

However, Daniels is risking it, taking a chance by opting against surgery to try and come back this season and prove himself worthy of a long-term contract in the process.

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