Quinn says he addressed fourth-down throwaway with QB Daniels

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  John KeimOct 20, 2026, 05:17 PM ET

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  John Keim covers the Washington Commanders for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2013 after a stint with the Washington Post. He started covering the team in 1994 for the Journal Newspapers and later for the Washington Examiner. He has authored/co-authored four books. You can also listen to him on 'The John Keim Report', which airs on ESPN Richmond radio.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels shouldn't have thrown a fourth-down pass away in the second quarter of Monday night's 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, coach Dan Quinn said.

On a fourth-and-2 from the 49ers' 13-yard line, Daniels dropped back to pass and left the pocket after the 49ers started to generate pressure.

As Daniels ran to his right, two defenders pursued him, including linebacker Fred Warner. A flag was also thrown in front of Daniels. He could not make the first down running and with no open receiver in front of him he threw the ball away.

Quinn said he spoke to Daniels about the play.

"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."

As it turned out the penalty wasn't an offsides call on the defense, which would have given Washington a first down. Rather it was an illegal shift on the Commanders.

"I didn't know. It could have been offside, it could have been on us," Daniels said if he anticipated an offsides call.

San Francisco declined the penalty because of the incompletion.

Daniels did complete 29-of-40 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns on Monday night. He helped Washington rally from a 20-3 halftime deficit and drove the Commanders deep into 49ers territory late in the game with a chance to take the lead.

"Like most things with him, there's some plays that you said, that's an incredible throw," Quinn said. "And there's other ones I'd love him to stay through the [read]."

He said he knew it would be tough for Daniels to gain yards scrambling because of the 49ers' team speed and their zone coverage with eyes on the quarterback. Indeed he rushed only four times for 10 yards.

Daniels was playing his second game wearing a brace on his left elbow that he dislocated in Week 2. Quinn said as Daniels evolves in coordinator David Blough's offense he'd like him to scramble more to throw. But he also knows he can make plays multiple ways.

"He always can make some throws that just kinda leaves you thinking, 'Man, there it is. There's only a few guys that can make that throw or that play,'" Quinn said.