Marcus Mariota to miss Commanders preseason with sprained MCL

Marcus Mariota, the former Oregon Ducks quarterback, will miss the remainder of the Washington Commanders' preseason due to a sprained MCL. This unfortunate news was reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter on August 16, 2026. After taking a hard hit during Friday night's preseason game, Mariota left the field in the first quarter and was seen going to the ground on the next play, indicating a non-contact knee injury. He promptly left the game and received assistance from the training staff in the locker room.

The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala confirmed that Mariota is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the preseason while he recovers and prepares for the regular season. This is not the first time Mariota has faced injuries during his 12-year NFL career; he has dealt with knee pain in the past and missed games in the past. However, over the past two seasons with the Commanders, Mariota has stepped in effectively for Jayden Daniels, who has also missed time because of injuries.

With the quarterback position secure for this preseason, it seems unlikely that Mariota will be cut, provided his recovery progresses smoothly.