NFL-Williams and Daniels, top two picks from 2024 NFL Draft, carted off with injuries

Quarterbacks Caleb Williams ​and Jayden Daniels, the top two picks of the ​2024 NFL Draft and centrepieces of their ‌respective ​teams' offenses, were both carted off with injuries in separate games on Sunday.

Williams, selected with the first overall pick by the Chicago Bears, suffered a non-contact hamstring injury ‌during the fourth quarter of his team's home clash against the Minnesota Vikings, while Daniels left Washington's game with a dislocated left elbow on the final play of the first half versus the host Dallas Cowboys. The 24-year-old Williams' right leg appeared to ‌give way while he scrambled on a first-and-goal attempt. Williams looked to be in pain on the field, and ‌while he was carted from the sideline to the locker room raised his arm in the air and gave the home crowd a thumbs up.

"We’ll know more tomorrow," said Bears coach Ben Johnson, who added that Williams was in good spirits after the game. "I’m actually happy it’s nothing with ⁠the knee ... ​that was my first inclination, ⁠but the hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow, and we’ll go from there.”

DANIELS AVOIDS FRACTURE Daniels, 25, ⁠left Washington's game when he stumbled after taking a snap and braced himself with his arm, which bent backwards, before falling to ​the turf in obvious pain. Medical personnel were quick to attend to Daniels on the field before he was ⁠carted off the field with a towel over his head.

The Commanders quarterback was limited to seven games in the 2025 NFL season due to knee, ⁠hamstring ​and elbow issues. Daniels dislocated his left elbow last November, which forced him to miss three weeks, then re-aggravated it in December and did not play the rest of that season. After Sunday's game, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn ⁠told reporters an X-ray showed no fracture and that Daniels would travel home with the team and undergo more imaging ⁠on Monday.

"Man, are we bummed ⁠for him," Quinn said of Daniels, who had completed 11 of his 17 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown while adding 69 rushing yards at the time of his ‌injury. "I thought he was ‌like, really playing his ass off."