A Stunning Wave of Early QB Injuries Hits the NFL

The NFL hasn't seen an early-season injury epidemic at quarterback quite like this in a long time. With Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Jaxson Dart all getting hurt in Week 2, there's a good chance six teams will be forced to go with a backup quarterback as the starter because of injuries by the time this week's games are finished. This will be the first time since at least 2000 that has happened within the first three games of a season, reports the AP. There have been four other seasons in that time when at least six teams used multiple starting quarterbacks within the first three games, according to Sportradar, including a record-tying seven in both 2019 and 2010. There were also six in both 2001 and 2015, but the changes in all four of those seasons also included benchings and rookies getting elevated. A look:

• The spate of quarterback injuries started when Super Bowl winner Sam Darnold injured his hip on the first drive of the season for the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 9. Drew Lock replaced him and has helped Seattle get off to a 2-0 start.
• One day later, Atlanta's Tua Tagovailoa left practice with an oblique injury, forcing the Falcons to turn to Cooper Rush as their starter for the first two games. Michael Penix, coming back from a knee injury last season, is set to start Thursday night against Green Bay.
• Minnesota's Kyler Murray then suffered a concussion in the first quarter of the opener for the Vikings, opening the door for Carson Wentz to come in and finish that game and start Week 2. Murray will return as the starter this week.
• The issue only got worse this past week with Williams injuring his hamstring late in Chicago's loss to the Vikings, Daniels going down with a serious left elbow injury for Washington against Dallas, and Dart injuring his knee Monday night when the Giants lost to the Los Angeles Rams.

Daniels has already been ruled out this week, with Marcus Mariota set to start for the Commanders. Jameis Winston is expected to start for New York on Sunday, while Williams won't practice this week but hasn't been ruled out for Monday night against Philadelphia. Backup Chicago QB Tyson Bagent went into concussion protocol, possibly setting the stage for third-stringer Case Keenum to get his first regular-season action since 2023. All the injuries have been in the NFC, making this the first time since the merger in 1970 that six teams in the same conference used multiple starting quarterbacks for any reason within the first three games of a season. Despite the early quarterback carousel, one thing has been missing. No drafted rookie has taken a snap at QB all year, with Atlanta's undrafted Jack Strand the only rookie to see the field so far.