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Commanders Turn to 39-Year-Old Josh Johnson to Start Christmas vs. Cowboys

Injuries to Jayden Daniels plus Marcus Mariota’s setbacks push Washington to elevate the NFL’s most-traveled quarterback for a rivalry game without playoff stakes.

Overview

  • Head coach Dan Quinn named Johnson the starter for Dec. 25, marking his first start since 2021 and the 10th of his career after stints with a record 14 NFL teams.
  • Daniels was ruled out for the rest of the season after aggravating a dislocation in his left elbow during his injury-plagued second year.
  • Mariota suffered a quadriceps injury and required stitches in his throwing hand in last week’s loss to Philadelphia, leaving him unavailable.
  • Washington signed Jeff Driskel this week to back up Johnson and is expected to add Sam Hartman as an emergency third quarterback.
  • The noon local kickoff at Washington’s home stadium features two eliminated teams, with betting markets listing Dallas as a heavy favorite (Cowboys -450, Commanders +375 per Caliente.mx).