Washington Commanders backup quarterback Marcus Mariota left Sunday's Week 4 game against the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London with a right knee injury, forcing rookie seventh-round pick Athan Kaliakmanis into his first NFL regular-season action. The Colts have since pulled ahead on the back of two Jonathan Taylor touchdown runs as Washington's offense has stalled behind its inexperienced passer.

Mariota's Afternoon Ends Early in London

Mariota suffered the knee injury on a third-down sack midway through the first quarter when Indianapolis defensive end Laiatu Latu landed on his right leg, and he went to the locker room with Washington leading 6-0. He was hurt at the end of a sack on third-and-goal from the 6-yard line, with his right knee appearing to bend awkwardly on the play.

Mariota was officially ruled out of the game and replaced by Kaliakmanis. Before exiting, Mariota had finished 3-of-4 passing for 46 yards and added one rush for 35 yards, showing explosive potential before the injury cut his day short.

Kaliakmanis Thrown Into the Fire

A Promising First Quarter

The Commanders led 6-0 after the first quarter as the defense forced a fumble and three punts, leading to two field goals. Kaliakmanis' first snaps were handoffs before he started throwing, and he completed 2 of 3 passes for eight yards on his opening drive, which ended in a punt.

Colts Seize Control

The tide turned quickly once Indianapolis adjusted its approach. The Colts sent extra pressure at the rookie, coming after Kaliakmanis hard on his second NFL drive, and the 23-year-old took two massive hits from DeForest Buckner and Cam Bynum just after getting passes off.

Washington was stuffed on fourth-and-1 from its own territory, and the Colts used that field position to score their first touchdown on a Jonathan Taylor rush, taking a 7-6 lead. Indianapolis added a field goal at the end of the second quarter to take a 10-6 lead into halftime, with Kaliakmanis going 6-of-12 for 33 yards over four drives.

The Colts extended their advantage to begin the second half. With Washington already trailing, Taylor again plunged in for a touchdown to open the third quarter, putting Indianapolis up 17-6. The pressure has shifted squarely onto Kaliakmanis to rally the Commanders, though things have not gone well for the rookie since he entered the game.

Washington's Quarterback Crisis Deepens

In just four games, the Commanders have already turned to their third quarterback. The injury is especially damaging because Mariota was filling in for franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels, who missed his second consecutive game because of a dislocated left elbow.

The offense, which had been moving the ball well with Mariota under center, sputtered once Kaliakmanis took over, though protection breakdowns have left him throwing under constant pressure. Kaliakmanis, who played college football at Minnesota and Rutgers before Washington selected him in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, is now the central figure in the Commanders' passing game.

Emergency Options on the Sideline

With Daniels and Mariota both unavailable, Washington has limited depth behind Kaliakmanis. Tight end Colson Yankoff, who played quarterback in high school, has been floated as the emergency option if Kaliakmanis were to go down, underscoring how thin the Commanders are at the position entering the second half of the London game.

What Comes Next

The Commanders still have the rest of Sunday's game to try to climb back into contention, with Kaliakmanis needing to find a rhythm against a Colts defense that has rattled him from the moment he entered. Washington's broader concern will be the medical evaluations awaiting both Mariota and Daniels this week as the team tries to determine who will be available at quarterback going forward.

This latest setback adds to a rough stretch of injuries across the NFL this season, following other notable absences such as Justin Jefferson's ankle injury in Tampa Bay's win over Minnesota. For more on how the opening minutes of this London matchup unfolded, including the full sequence of Mariota's exit, see the earlier report from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.