Kurt Warner presses Jayden Daniels to play through elbow injury

As the Washington Commanders consult doctors about Jayden Daniels’s future this season, Kurt Warner is putting the decision on the quarterback.

The NFL was ravaged by injuries in Week 2, led by quarterbacks Caleb Williams (hamstring) and Jayden Daniels (non-throwing elbow). Williams already received some good news after being carted off on Sunday, with reports now saying the Chicago Bears quarterback may be able to play as early as next week. And while we don’t know what doctors are saying about Daniels’ elbow, Kurt Warner went on ESPN’s NFL Live and claimed the quarterback should just be able to put a brace on it.

“I suffered the exact same injury back in ’07, and I played the next week.”@kurt13warner believes Jayden Daniels has the chance to play through his elbow injury 👀 pic.twitter.com/P7YlY7tVpz

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 21, 2026

“I suffered the exact same injury back in ’07, and I played the next week,” Warner said. “Because it’s the left arm, if he wants to play through that, I believe he can. It’s not going to be one of those things that affects the throwing part of things. Does it affect his moving, does it affect his running, or some of the things they wanted to do by design? Maybe. But I do believe this is something he can come back from.”

Warner noted he received a couple of shots, wore a brace, and changed how he handed the ball off, but ultimately played through the injury. Warner, however, was a 36-year-old quarterback staring at what may have been his last opportunity to be a starter when he played through the injury. Daniels is just 25 and probably thinking about protecting his future in the league. But Warner doesn’t believe this is an injury that should factor into the Commanders’ decision to give Daniels an extension.

“Because it’s his left arm, I don’t think it’s something we worry about long-term and go ‘Oh, should we extend this guy because he’s had this type of injury and this injury twice.’ I believe it’s something he can play through,” Warner maintained.

Dan Orlovsky questioned whether Washington might consider their banged-up offensive line when deciding whether Daniels can play through the injury, but Warner pushed back, saying the quarterback should want to be out there.

“You factor it in if you’re the organization, what if you’re the player?” Warner asked. “I can brace it up and go, I don’t care about all that stuff, put me out there and play.”

Warner made similar comments last year when Daniels dislocated his non-throwing elbow in November, saying, “It is something I think you can play through if you manage the pain.”

Daniels dislocated his elbow in Week 9 last season. He missed three games before suffering the same injury in Week 14, which ultimately ended his season. Now in Week 2 of the next season, Daniels has dislocated his elbow for a third time.

Daniels has exited three of his last four games with an elbow injury. That doesn’t happen by some wild coincidence. Maybe wearing a brace will ultimately be the answer to keeping Daniels on the field. But if Daniels takes some time to return, this doesn’t appear to be a case of a quarterback who is unwilling to play through injury.