Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota left the game against the Philadelphia Eagles in the third quarter due to a right hand injury. He was replaced by third-stringer Josh Johnson as the Eagles rallied to take a 14-10 lead. Mariota had been starting in place of the sidelined Jayden Daniels.
In a crucial Week 16 matchup on December 20, 2025, Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota suffered a right hand injury during the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles. The injury occurred on a third-down play when Mariota escaped the pocket, threw the ball away to avoid pressure from Eagles defensive lineman Jordan Davis, and finished the play awkwardly while running toward the sideline. He pulled up in discomfort, entered the medical tent for evaluation, and was seen jogging to the locker room with a towel over his throwing hand.
Mariota was briefly checked for a concussion but cleared the protocol. The Commanders listed him as questionable to return, though he did not re-enter the game. Prior to exiting, he had completed 7 of 14 passes for 95 yards and had one rushing attempt for a loss of 1 yard. This marked Mariota's eighth start of the season, filling in for star quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has been shut down for most of the year due to injury. Entering the game, Mariota had a 62.0% completion rate, 1,600 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions, along with 298 rushing yards and one rushing score.
With the Commanders leading 10-7 at the time of the injury, the Eagles capitalized on their next possession, scoring a touchdown to take a 14-10 advantage. Veteran backup Josh Johnson, 39, then entered the game, marking his first significant action of the 2025 season. Johnson, who has played for an NFL-record 14 teams, has appeared in 47 career games with 9 starts, completing 58.1% of his passes for 2,297 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. He also adds mobility with 426 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. His last meaningful snaps came in 2021 with the Baltimore Ravens.
The Commanders entered the contest with a 4-10 record, aiming to disrupt Philadelphia's bid to clinch the NFC East title.
