Athan Kaliakmanis, a rookie seventh-round pick from Rutgers, took over at quarterback for the Commanders after Marcus Mariota injured his knee Sunday against the Colts.
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| Athan Kaliakmanis, a rookie seventh-round pick from Rutgers, replaced injured quarterback Marcus Mariota during Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts. |
Washington Commanders fans got an unexpected introduction Sunday when backup quarterback Marcus Mariota left the game against the Indianapolis Colts with an injured right knee. The player who replaced him was not a familiar name to most of the fan base: rookie Athan Kaliakmanis.
Mariota's injury occurred in the first quarter, thrusting the 23-year-old Kaliakmanis into his first NFL action. The circumstances surrounding the change under center left many wondering who the Commanders were turning to at the sport's most important position.
A Surprising Seventh-Round Pick
Kaliakmanis arrived in Washington as a seventh-round selection out of Rutgers, a choice that came as something of a surprise given the team already had Sam Hartman available as a third-string option. But according to Commanders general manager Adam Peters, the rookie's performance in the preseason made the decision clear.
"Athan, we really just loved his arm talent, his moxie, his competitiveness," Peters said at the end of training camp. "That's what we saw on tape, and those are a lot of things you saw on the preseason tape."
Peters pointed to Kaliakmanis's ability to extend plays and perform under pressure as key factors in the team's evaluation.
"And just the way he could extend plays and made some plays under pressure, also standing in the pocket, making big-time throws," Peters said. "He made a lot of really big-time throws in the preseason, and that was something that we were really pleased to see. And he's not afraid to rip it."
Kaliakmanis beat out Hartman during three preseason games, completing 24 of 37 passes for 294 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions — the last statistic perhaps the most important for a rookie trying to earn a roster spot.
From Minnesota to Rutgers
Kaliakmanis grew up in Antioch, Illinois, and began his college career at Minnesota, where he redshirted as a freshman. He became the Golden Gophers' starter in 2023 as a redshirt sophomore, completing 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,838 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions over 12 games.
After that season, he transferred to Rutgers, where his brother Dino, a wide receiver, had also transferred. In two seasons as the Scarlet Knights' starter, Kaliakmanis completed 57.9 percent of his throws for 5,820 yards with 38 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Learning a New Language
When Kaliakmanis arrived in Washington, he — like all of the Commanders' offensive players — had to learn the offense being installed by new coordinator David Blough. The transition did not always go smoothly.
Blough described the early challenge during training camp, recalling a conversation with his wife about the rookie's adjustment.
"When Athan first got here, for example, he came from an offense where they looked to the sideline, they signaled, and he went like this," Blough said, clapping his hands together. "And I was telling my wife, I was like, 'He was really struggling with some of the plays at the beginning.' And I said, 'It's like he's speaking a new language.' And she was like, 'No, it's like he's learning how to speak.'"
What's Next for Washington's Quarterback Situation
How long Kaliakmanis will have to serve as the Commanders' quarterback remains uncertain. Starter Jayden Daniels has missed the past two-and-a-half games after suffering a dislocated left elbow in Week 2 at Dallas. Daniels practiced all week in London before coach Dan Quinn declared him out on Friday.
The widespread expectation is that Daniels will be healthy enough to start in Week 5 at home against the New York Giants.
In the first half against the Colts, Kaliakmanis completed 6 of 12 throws for just 33 yards. Before taking his first NFL snap, he had already made an impression on his teammates.
"He's funny," Daniels said following a preseason game against Detroit. "He's got a lot of personality. He's going to go out there and he makes throws, man."
Kaliakmanis took a couple of hard shots from Colts defenders, raising one more question: Who would Washington's quarterback be should Kaliakmanis get hurt? With Hartman only on the practice squad, that would be backup tight end Colson Yankoff.