Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said quarterback Jayden Daniels should not have thrown the ball away on a fourth-down play during the second quarter of Monday night’s 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The play occurred on a fourth-and-2 from the 49ers’ 13-yard line. Daniels dropped back to pass but left the pocket as the 49ers generated pressure. As Daniels ran to his right, he was pursued by two defenders, including linebacker Fred Warner. With a flag on the field and no open receivers, Daniels threw the ball away rather than attempting to run for the first down.
Quinn confirmed he spoke with Daniels regarding the decision. “Even when you know there’s a penalty, you still take your shot, man, to go throw it, complete it,” Quinn said. “You don’t know if it’s gonna get picked up.”
The penalty was ultimately called as an illegal shift on the Commanders rather than an offside on the defense, which would have granted Washington a first down. “I didn’t know. It could have been offside, it could have been on us,” Daniels said regarding his anticipation of the call. San Francisco declined the penalty due to the incompletion.
Reflecting on game management
The incident followed a play from the previous week where Daniels failed to throw the ball away with eight seconds remaining in overtime, resulting in a tackle and the expiration of the clock before a potential 42-yard field goal attempt. Both Quinn and offensive coordinator David Blough accepted responsibility for that play call and the failure to signal for a spike.
Despite the fourth-down error, Daniels completed 29 of 40 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns on Monday. He led a rally from a 20-3 halftime deficit and moved the Commanders into 49ers territory late in the game with an opportunity to take the lead.
Quinn noted that while Daniels makes “incredible” throws, there are moments where he wants the quarterback to stay through his reads. Regarding Daniels’ limited rushing production—four carries for 10 yards—Quinn cited the 49ers’ team speed and zone coverage. Daniels is currently playing with a brace on his left elbow following a dislocation in Week 2.
