The worst-case scenario has been confirmed for Marcus Mariota

The Washington Commanders will have to cope with a significant absence over the next few weeks. Quarterback Marcus Mariota has suffered a knee injury that is expected to keep him out of the team's remaining preseason games.

According to a report by ESPN on Sunday, Mariota has suffered a medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain. The injury occurred Friday night during the preseason game against the Miami Dolphins under rather unusual circumstances.

The veteran had time to participate in only four plays before having to leave the game. After handing the ball off to running back Kaytron Allen, Mariota found himself on the ground following a non-contact injury.

The Commanders' medical staff quickly attended to him. Although he was able to walk off the field on his own, the quarterback was then evaluated in the medical tent before heading to the locker room.

Before leaving, Mariota briefly spoke with starting quarterback Jayden Daniels and offensive coordinator David Blough.

An Important Role Behind Jayden Daniels

This injury comes at a time when Mariota was once again set to play a key role within the Washington organization.

The veteran was set to begin his third consecutive season as the Commanders' backup quarterback. In March, he had signed a one-year contract worth $7 million, demonstrating that the team valued his experience.

Mariota was also called upon to play a much more significant role last season due to Daniels' health issues.

In 2025, he made eight starts and appeared in a total of 11 games. The veteran completed 1,695 passing yards, with 10 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.

Washington's results, however, were mixed when Mariota was at the helm. The Commanders won only two of the games in which he started at quarterback.

For now, his injury does not appear likely to jeopardize the start of the regular season, but his absence for the remainder of the preseason nevertheless deprives Washington of valuable practice time.

The organization will now have to closely monitor his progress over the coming weeks. With the regular season approaching, the Commanders are obviously hoping that Mariota will be sufficiently recovered to resume his role behind Daniels when the important games begin.

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