Austin Ekeler
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Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler.
Unfortunately for NFL fans, if you’ve watched enough football you know when you see a player suffer a non-contact injury then seem like they can barely walk, we know now it usually means one thing.
That one thing is about the worst injury any football player can suffer – a torn Achilles tendon. Washington Commanders All-Pro running back/return specialist Austin Ekeler had to leave a Week 2 game against the Green Bay Packers with an unspecified Achilles injury, according to Thursday Night Football sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung.
“Commanders starting RBAustin Ekeler, who was carted to the locker room with a non-contact injury, was ruled out with an Achilles injury,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account. “A potentially significant injury.”
The Commanders lost, 27-18, to drop to 1-1 on the season — a season that gets significantly murkier at running back without a veteran like Ekeler in the fold.
Ekeler Suffered Serious Injuries In 2024
Ekeler signed a 2-year, $8.34 million contract with the Commanders in March 2024 but missed 5 games due to 2 separate concussions last season.
In Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys, Ekeler suffered a concussion so severe it forced him to miss the next 4 games.
“I didn’t even remember how I got off the field,” Ekeler said in a radio appearance following the Week 12 concussion. “I just remember coming to — as far as remembering stuff — I had short-term memory loss. I remember my wife was sitting in the room, and I’m getting evaluated by our medical staff in the back room. That’s when I started to remember things, and then all of a sudden, OK, we’re getting in the back of the ambulance to go get a CT scan. I was definitely concussed and seeing some major symptoms there.”
Despite missing 5 games, Ekeler was still named NFL All-Pro at return specialist and finished the season with 1,327 all-purpose yards and 4 touchdowns.
Internet Diagnoses Ekeler’s Injury With Quickness
The general consensus on social media was that Ekeler, who spent the first 7 seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers, had suffered a torn Achilles tendon.
“Hope the video lies forAustin Ekeler,” Dr. David Chao wrote on his official X account. “Classic right Achilles tendon rupture Surgery and season over.”
“Austin Ekeler is an incredible friend to and advocate for the entire fantasy community,” NBC Sports fantasy football guru Matthew Berry wrote on his official X account. “Praying for the best.”
“Commanders saidAustin Ekeler suffered an Achilles injury,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account. “Awful.”
“Ngl thats probably a career ending injury forAustin Ekeler,” X user Alt wrote on their official X account. “It was a good run.”
If Ekeler is truly done for the season, the bulk of the rushing duties will fall on the shoulders of rookie seventh round pick Jacorey Croskey-Merritt.
“This app has a bunch of sickos that love Jacory Croskey-Merritt (me included) but everyone has to feel forAustin Ekeler there, no one wants to see that for any player,” X user Colten Curtis wrote.