In a surprising turn of events, the Washington Commanders are set to have 39-year-old Josh Johnson as their starting quarterback for the Christmas Day matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. This decision was confirmed by coach Dan Quinn on Wednesday, marking a significant moment for both Johnson and the team.
The Commanders are navigating a challenging season, particularly due to injuries that have plagued their roster. Jayden Daniels, who was expected to be a key player, is sidelined for the remainder of the season after aggravating an existing injury to his left elbow. Daniels, who was considered a strong contender for the 2024 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, managed to start seven games but was forced to leave three of them early due to various injuries. His replacement, Marcus Mariota, has also fallen victim to injury, suffering a quadricep strain and needing stitches in his throwing hand during last week's 29-18 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
This series of quarterback changes highlights the Commanders' struggles in what was anticipated to be a follow-up season to their promising performance last year, where they finished with a 12-5 record and made it to the NFC championship game. Currently, with a record of 4-11, the team has lost nine out of their last ten contests, including a particularly tough defeat against Dallas earlier in the season, where they fell 44-22. Both teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention, making this game more about pride than postseason aspirations.
Additionally, Washington will likely miss key players such as left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who is dealing with an oblique injury, defensive tackle Daron Payne, who has a back issue, and linebacker Nick Bellore, who is recovering from a concussion. Johnson, who holds the NFL record for playing with the most teams—14 in total—is preparing for his 10th career start. This will be his first appearance since he played for the Baltimore Ravens in 2021, where he completed 5 of 9 passes for 43 yards and threw an interception after stepping in for Mariota.
In response to their quarterback crisis, the Commanders have brought in Jeff Driskel from the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad as Johnson's backup. Furthermore, they are set to sign Sam Hartman from their own practice squad to serve as an emergency third quarterback. The team has also placed starting right guard Sam Cosmi and rookie punt returner Jaylin Lane on injured reserve due to concussion and ankle injuries, respectively.
With the Commanders facing such adversity, the question remains: how will they adapt to this tumultuous season ahead? Will Johnson be able to steer the team to a more respectable finish, or will the challenges continue to mount? We invite you to share your thoughts on this evolving situation in the comments below.
