Mariota Hurt in London, Rookie Kaliakmanis Gets First NFL Snaps

Marcus Mariota left the Colts-Commanders London game with a right knee injury, giving seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis his first NFL snaps.

The 1-2 Commanders and 1-2 Colts kicked off the NFL's 2026 London series at 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with both clubs riding surprise Week 3 wins — Washington stunned Seattle 33-31 while Indianapolis edged Houston 19-17. Early on, Daniel Jones' turnover count grew, CBS Sports noting his sixth giveaway of the season came on a play by Odafe Oweh that set up a Commanders field goal. Then Washington's own quarterback situation deteriorated again.

According to CBS Sports, Marcus Mariota went down awkwardly on a sack that ended a drive and headed back to the locker room, and is officially questionable to return with a right knee injury. That pressed Athan Kaliakmanis, a seventh-round rookie out of Rutgers who won the QB3 job with an impressive preseason, into his first official NFL snaps. CBS Sports also reported Mariota had turned back the clock moments earlier with a 35-yard run.

For the second straight international game, Washington is without star quarterback Jayden Daniels, who dislocated his left elbow in Week 2 and was ruled out again, per nfl.com — last year he missed the team's Madrid game with the same injury. nfl.com notes the Commanders are the only franchise to play at least three international games without a win (0-2-1). Now the backup who finally gave them a spark against Seattle is himself hurt, leaving a rookie under center.

Both teams are thin at wide receiver in London. Horseshoe Heroes reports the Colts' inactives include Keenan Allen and Darius Slayton, alongside the already-out Alec Pierce, plus QB Riley Leonard, RB DJ Giddens, edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. and guard Dalton Tucker. The same outlet lists Washington's inactives as Terry McLaurin and Luke McCaffrey, Rashaad White, Daniels, former Colts starter Nick Cross, Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Sam Cosmi. nfl.com's editorial update also confirmed McLaurin was inactive with a hamstring issue.

FOX Sports notes the Colts sat at minus-5 in turnover margin with Jones' three interceptions a watch point, while Washington's defense had created a plus-2 margin. With Kaliakmanis in and Mariota limping, the Commanders' margin for error shrinks further against a defense that just limited Houston to 223 yards, as CBS Sports highlighted.

The immediate question is whether Mariota can return or whether Kaliakmanis finishes the game, and how the rookie handles a stage he was never expected to reach so soon — CBS Sports says he is now getting his first official NFL snaps mid-game. Beyond Sunday, Daniels' continued practice work in London was called a "big step" by coach Dan Quinn, per nfl.com, keeping his return on the radar. Washington's search for its first international win, meanwhile, has now stretched to four tries.