Four NFL teams confirmed changes at quarterback for Week 3 on Monday, with the Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears all updating the status of their starters after a bruising second weekend of the season.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confirmed that Marcus Mariota will start when Washington host the Seattle Seahawks at 1pm ET on Sunday, September 27 at Northwest Stadium. Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow on the final play of the first half of Sunday’s 37-20 loss to Dallas and will consult specialists, with no return timeline established. Quinn said the team “will defer to the specialists” on how the injury is managed. Mariota made eight starts in 11 appearances for Washington in 2025, completing 61.2 per cent of his passes for 1,695 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
The Falcons announced that Michael Penix Jr. will start Thursday’s trip to face the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, which kicks off at 8:15pm ET on September 24. Penix tore knee ligaments last November and was not cleared for full practice until August 22. Tua Tagovailoa started Week 1 before an oblique injury, and Cooper Rush started Week 2, with Atlanta losing both games by a combined 54-16.
In Minnesota, head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that Kyler Murray has cleared the league’s concussion protocol and will start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium at 4:05pm ET on Sunday, September 27. Murray was concussed in the first quarter of the Week 1 game against Green Bay; Carson Wentz started Sunday’s 9-3 win over Chicago, completing 11 of 20 passes for 143 yards.
The Bears, meanwhile, will likely be without Caleb Williams for their Monday Night Football meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field at 8:15pm ET on September 28. Head coach Ben Johnson said Williams, who hurt his hamstring while scrambling in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Vikings, is “gonna be a week-to-week deal” and “will likely miss some time”, although an MRI showed no major damage. Tyson Bagent is Chicago’s backup.
