The Washington Commanders will start Marcus Mariota at quarterback against the Indianapolis Colts in London on Sunday after Jayden Daniels was ruled out for Week 4.
Coach Dan Quinn made the decision Friday, keeping Daniels sidelined as he continues his return from a dislocated left elbow suffered in Washington’s Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The injury is to Daniels’ non-throwing arm.
- Jayden Daniels, quarterback: Out for Sunday’s game against the Colts. He practiced on a limited basis this week while wearing a substantial brace on his left arm.
- Marcus Mariota, quarterback: Set to make his second start of the 2026 season for Washington.
Daniels traveled to London with the team and participated in practice, a meaningful step after the elbow issue caused him to miss extensive time in 2025. He said he was not concerned about reinjuring the elbow, but Washington will not rush its starting quarterback back into game action.
Quinn said the Commanders want to see Daniels complete a full week of practice before determining his availability. The coach praised Daniels’ work behind the scenes and described him as a relentless competitor in his effort to return.
Quinn also said Daniels looked further along than expected during his limited work, while stressing that the club wants his elbow and overall conditioning fully ready before he plays.
Week 4 in London
Mariota enters the Colts matchup after an efficient performance in Washington’s Week 3 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Filling in for Daniels, Mariota threw three touchdown passes without an interception and finished with a 110.0 passer rating.
It was Mariota’s first three-touchdown passing game since Week 8 of the 2022 season, when he played for the Atlanta Falcons. Across two appearances this year — one start and one relief outing — he is among four NFL quarterbacks with at least four touchdown passes and no interceptions, joining Jared Goff, Geno Smith and Drew Lock.
The Colts arrive after a 19-17 win over the Houston Texans, a result that helped stabilize their defense. Indianapolis still ranks last in the league in total yards allowed at 417.3 per game and yards per play allowed at 6.5, while standing 30th in passing yards surrendered per game at 276.0.
