Every NFL team has an emergency quarterback on game day. If a team carries two quarterbacks on the game-day roster, they must designate someone else as the emergency third quarterback if the starter and backup are both injured during the game.
Rookie Jayden Daniels is likely to start for the Washington Commanders in 2024. Veteran Marcus Mariota should be the backup. However, even if the Commanders keep Sam Hartman on the 53-man roster, that doesn’t mean he’ll be active on game days, which means they’ll need an emergency quarterback.
Last year, it was tight end Logan Thomas. Thomas was a record-breaking quarterback at Virginia Tech before eventually moving to tight end a few years into his NFL career. Thomas is gone, and now third-year wide receiver Jahan Dotson holds that distinction.
On Friday’s episode of “Up & Adams” with Kay Adams, Dotson was asked about being the emergency quarterback.
“I am the team’s emergency quarterback, for sure,” Dotson said. “If we ever lose all of our quarterbacks, I am the guy that goes in. I take that role with a lot of pride.
Adams jokingly asked Dotson why he was stealing reps from Daniels.
“I need ’em, too,” Dotson replied. “If he goes down, we need another guy to fill in, and it’s going to be me.”
Adams then reminded Dotson he completed both passing attempts while at Penn State. Dotson said he’s lobbied offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and wide receivers coach Bobby Engram for an opportunity to throw the ball this season.
Finally, Adams asked Dotson about fellow wide receiver rookie Luke McCaffrey, a former college quarterback.
“Luke has been great; he’s been awesome,” Dotson said. “He’s a very smart guy. I played him while I was in college, and he was the quarterback, so he has a great mind on his shoulders.”
Adams interrupts and asks Dotson if McCaffrey is going to come for those quarterback reps.
“No, no, no, no, we’ve talked about this earlier,” he answered. “Luke, you know I’m the emergency quarterback.”
McCaffrey played three seasons as a quarterback in college, including the first two at Nebraska. In 2020, McCaffrey’s Cornhuskers defeated Dotson and the Nittany Lions 30-23. McCaffrey reminded Dotson of that game on X.
@JahanDotson thought we already settled this… https://t.co/sJTrexdAH7 pic.twitter.com/XricdxrMdu
— Luke McCaffrey (@mccaffrey_luke) August 3, 2024
McCaffrey completed 13 of 21 passes for 152 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. He also carried the ball 13 times for 67 yards and another touchdown. Dotson caught two passes for 27 yards on that day. Penn State’s quarterback in this game was current Tennessee Titan Will Levis. Levis began his career at Penn State before transferring to Kentucky.
So, which wide receiver should be the emergency QB?
