The Commanders are down to their third-string quarterback.
Backup Marcus Mariota, starting for the second straight week with Jayden Daniels recovering from a dislocated elbow, left Sunday’s game against the Colts in London with a knee injury. He was initially deemed questionable to return before he was ruled out at the start of the third quarter.
Mariota got hurt while getting hit by the Colts’ Adetomiwa Adebawore and Laiatu Latu.
The 32-year-old began the game 3-for-4 with 46 yards passing along with a 35-yard run before exiting.
He led the Commanders to a surprise win over the reigning Super Bowl-champion Seahawks last week, finishing 19-for-31 with 183 yards and three touchdowns.
Mariota’s injury forced Washington to turn to Athan Kaliakmanis, a seventh-round rookie out of Rutgers.
Kaliakmanis, 23, was 6-for-12 with 33 yards in the first half as the Commanders trailed 10-6 at halftime.
But the rookie made a big play early in the third quarter, finding an open Treylon Burks for a 47-yard touchdown that cut the Commanders’ deficit to 17-13.
Kaliakmanis, who transferred from Minnesota after the 2023 season, had a 20-22 record as a starter at Rutgers, throwing for 5,820 yards, 38 touchdowns and 14 interceptions across two seasons.
While Daniels is out for the second straight game, he is eyeing a return against the Giants next Sunday, according to The Athletic.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently reported that Daniels will eventually need surgery after dislocating his elbow for the second straight year, but that he likely will wait until the offseason.
