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Mariota MCL Sprain Rules Him Out of Preseason

8/16/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Marcus Mariota, the Commanders' backup quarterback, sprained his MCL in the first quarter of the 20-7 win over Miami and will miss the preseason.
The injury happened after Mariota handed off to rookie Kaytron Allen and was hit on a 22-yard pass.
Coach Dan Quinn said he will provide an update on Sunday.
Hartman and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis will back up Daniels in the next two preseason games.

History

Historical Context

After the 1991 “Body Bag Game” left the Washington Redskins without two quarterbacks, the NFL added a third-quarterback slot that did not count toward the 45-player active roster. The rule guided depth decisions through 2010, was removed in 2011, and resurfaced in a revised form in 2023. Coach Dan Quinn now uses that slot for Marcus Mariota’s injury backup.

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Story summary

Marcus Mariota, the Commanders' backup quarterback, sprained his MCL in the first quarter of the 20-7 win over Miami and will miss the preseason.
The injury happened after Mariota handed off to rookie Kaytron Allen and was hit on a 22-yard pass.
Coach Dan Quinn said he will provide an update on Sunday.
Hartman and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis will back up Daniels in the next two preseason games.

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