After a historic opening week in the NFL, where teams tied for the most combined Week 1 points in the Super Bowl era, offenses came crashing back to earth in Week 2. And injuries might ensure at least two teams don't rebound any time soon.
The top two picks of the 2024 draft, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, were both hurt in their respective teams' losses Sunday. And while the severity of each injury is yet to be known, both could have at least a short-term impact nobody likes to see this early in the season.
It continues a rough trend for the 2024 NFL draft class of first-round quarterbacks. Let's go through the carnage.
BRUTAL: Tom Brady reacts to Daniels injury with expletive
First, there was JJ McCarthy not only lost his starting gig in Minnesota
to Kyler Murray this summer, but also being demoted to third-string behind Carson Wentz. Then, Michael Penix Jr. was unable to make it back from last year's torn ACL in time to start the season for the Falcons, who are now 0-2 as he potentially approaches a return.
Once the season got underway, Drake Maye and Bo Nix each had lifeless performances that made you wonder how they ever led their teams to last year's AFC title game. And now, Williams and Daniels have gone down with injuries.
There is at least good news on Williams, who may have avoided a significant injury to his hamstring. But any absence on his part will be especially difficult to stomach, because the Chicago Bears had real expectations this year after last season's run to the NFC's final four (and after last week's 59-point explosion).
The thing that makes Daniels' elbow injury so devastating is that it's the same dislocation that robbed him of so many games last year. Though expectations for the Washington Commanders weren't nearly as high as Chicago, Daniels proved his ability to elevate that team when he took them to the conference championship as a rookie. Without him, they're all but done.
Hopefully, both injuries turn out to be less significant than they looked in real time. And each player can come back to give their fans something to root for. But however it turns out, this has been a disaster start to the season for the 2024 quarterback class.
Quick hits: NFL Week 2 best/worst ... Ole Miss trolls Lane Kiffin ... and more
- Christian D'Andrea's best and worst of NFL Week 2.
- Ole Miss trolled Lane Kiffin and LSU with the perfect song after their big win.
- Jalen Hurts had three terse words in response to Jeffery Simmons after the Eagles beat the Titans.
- A fiery Todd Monken ripped Mike Tomlin's Browns joke after their soggy Week 2 win over the Bucs.
- Taylor Swift flashed her wedding ring after Travis Kelce scored his first touchdown of the season.
- Mike Elko perfectly summarized Texas A&M's stunning loss to Kentucky in five words.
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This article originally appeared on For The Win: The 2026 NFL season has not been kind to the 2024 quarterback class
