Surgeon: Jayden Daniels' elbow injury not preventable by brace
The short version
- Jayden Daniels dislocated his elbow in the Commanders' game against the Dallas Cowboys.
- Dr. Michael Alaia called the injury a freak occurrence and said it was not preventable.
- Alaia said a brace only protects against movement in certain planes and would not have stopped this injury.
- Daniels previously dislocated the same elbow in 2025 against Seattle.
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael Alaia told 106.7 The Fan that the Commanders QB's elbow dislocation against Dallas was a freak occurrence no brace would have stopped.
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels dislocated his elbow in Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys, and an orthopedic surgeon says there was little anyone could have done to stop it. Dr. Michael Alaia, speaking Tuesday on Grant & Danny with Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier on 106.7 The Fan, described the injury as a freak occurrence.
Alaia noted that professional athletes typically must clear three benchmarks before returning to play: pain-free range of motion, no signs of objective instability with the joint feeling completely stable, and full strength. Even so, he said surgeons are sometimes caught off guard by what happens to athletes who have finished rehabilitation.
He explained that the elbow is a hinge joint, and Daniels fell on an outstretched hand with rotational force and axial load — a combination a brace cannot guard against. Braces only limit movement in certain planes, such as some side-to-side motion, and athletes can still suffer injuries while wearing them, as sometimes happens with ACL tears.
When Paulsen asked why Daniels was not wearing a brace against Dallas if it were truly preventive, Alaia replied that a brace is often not necessary or indicated in such cases. He added that this type of injury could have happened to anyone at any time, and that in his view it was not preventable.
Daniels previously dislocated his elbow in 2025 against the Seattle Seahawks.
