Jayden Daniels Shares His Take on Antonio Williams’ Situation Ahead of the Cowboys Clash

When the news broke that Dallas running back Antonio Williams was dealing with a nagging ankle issue, the first person the story reached was Washington’s own Jayden Daniels. The 23‑year‑old quarterback, still fresh off a bruising Week 1 loss, didn’t hide his curiosity.

“Man, I heard about Antonio,” Daniels said in a quick interview on the team’s bus, “and I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s a big piece of the Cowboys’ offense.’ It’s funny how you pay attention to the opponent’s injuries when you’re still trying to figure out your own offense.”

He paused, glanced out the window at the passing Pennsylvania fields, and added, “Honestly, any time a starter goes down, it’s an extra puzzle for us. The Cowboys run a lot of stuff through Antonio, especially in the red zone. If he’s limited, they’ll lean more on their passing game, and that could open up some mismatches for our secondary.”

Daniels also noted that the news gave the Commanders a tiny morale boost. “You know, the guys are always talking about what the other side has—who’s hot, who’s hurt. Hearing that a key piece might not be at 100% just gives us a little extra confidence, even if it’s just a mental edge,” he chuckled.

He didn’t shy away from the reality check, though. “We still have to execute on our side of the ball. Whether Antonio is 100 % or 70 %, we can’t count on that to win the game. We’ve got to protect the ball, get the first downs, and keep the pressure on their defense. That’s what matters.”

When asked whether the Cowboys might lean more on Ezekiel Elliott or the passing attack, Daniels smiled. “Probably both. Dallas has a lot of weapons. If Antonio’s limited, they’ll bring in Elliott more, but they’ll also test us with more deep throws. It’s going to be a chess match.”

As the Commanders prepared to board the flight to Dallas, Daniels finished with a simple, sincere statement: “We just want to go out there, do what we’ve practiced, and try to bring our first win of the year. Anything that helps us prepare is a plus, and Antonio’s situation is just another piece of the puzzle.”