The Washington Commanders are down to their third quarterback. Athan Kaliakmanis, a seventh-round rookie, made his NFL debut Sunday in London when Marcus Mariota left with a right knee injury in the first quarter against the Indianapolis Colts. Mariota was only starting because Jayden Daniels is out with a dislocated left elbow. Here is what to know about the 6-foot-2, 216-pound passer now running Washington’s offense.
Kaliakmanis was named after a saint
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Kaliakmanis is Greek American, and his first name comes from Saint Athanasius of Alexandria. As a teenager, his father, Alex, saw the saint’s icon in a stained-glass window at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and later gave the name to his second son.
The quarterback has a tattoo sleeve on his left arm that includes the Greek word for family, and he goes by “The Greek Rifle.” His father wrestled at Seton Hall.
He started 42 games in college
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Kaliakmanis grew up in Antioch, Illinois, and was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021. He signed with Minnesota, redshirted and got his first start in 2022 at Penn State after Tanner Morgan was injured. This is not the first time he has been handed an offense on short notice.
After one full season as the Gophers’ starter, he transferred to Rutgers along with his brother Dino, a wide receiver. In two years there he threw for 5,820 yards and 38 touchdown passes and became the first Rutgers quarterback with back-to-back 2,500-yard seasons. His 3,124 yards and 20 touchdown passes in 2025 were career highs, and he started 42 of his 48 college games.
How he won Washington’s No. 3 job
Washington drafted him with the 223rd pick, its last of the 2026 draft. When general manager Adam Peters called, Kaliakmanis’ response was “No way.”
He then outplayed Sam Hartman, who is now on the practice squad, for the third quarterback spot. In the second preseason game, at Detroit, Kaliakmanis completed 11 of 14 passes for 162 yards, including a 55-yard throw to Nick Nash. Peters said after final cuts that the Commanders “really just loved his arm talent, his moxie, his competitiveness.”
What Kaliakmanis said about his role
Kaliakmanis did not arrive expecting to play. “This is not my team. This is Jayden Daniels’ team,” he said after the draft, adding that he wanted to learn and do whatever he could to help Daniels win.
He ended up on the field in Washington’s fourth game. The team called Mariota questionable to return, and Daniels practiced on a limited basis in London this week. How long Kaliakmanis keeps the job depends on Mariota’s knee and Daniels’ elbow.
