Commanders' Dan Quinn provides update on Marcus Mariota's knee injury

The Washington Commanders are currently experiencing a series of unfortunate injuries. In their recent game against the Indianapolis Colts, quarterback Marcus Mariota, who was filling in for the injured Jayden Daniels, performed admirably in the first half, guiding the Commanders into the opponent's end zone on their first two drives.

However, Mariota suffered a knee injury during the second half and was unable to continue. This marked his second start since Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow in Week 2. Before this, Mariota had led the Commanders to a significant victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. The injury to Mariota appears to be season-ending, but it is too early to determine the exact prognosis.

The Commanders have now been left without a starting quarterback for the first time since Daniels went down. Rookie seventh-round pick Athan Kaliakmanis has taken over the role, making him the third quarterback for Washington. While Daniels' injury was initially thought to be more severe, he may be back in a few weeks. During Sunday's game, Molly McGrath of the NFL Network reported that Mariota had suffered an MCL injury.

This was the extent of the information released at that time. In the preseason, Mariota had previously injured his MCL in the team's opening game in August, with the coach stating it would sideline him for the rest of the preseason but that he was optimistic about his return before the start of the regular season. Following Sunday's game, coach Dan Quinn confirmed it was indeed an MCL injury but refrained from providing further details, stating that a scan would provide more information on the injury's severity and recovery timeline.

The Commanders plan to have Mariota undergo further testing upon their return to Virginia. On a positive note, Washington anticipates Daniels will be back in action next week, but Kaliakmanis could potentially serve as Daniels' long-term backup.