September 13: An MRI confirmed that Ekeler suffered a torn Achilles, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He will miss the rest of the 2025 season as a result with Croskey-Merritt and McNichols set to step up in the Commanders’ backfield. Washington may be regretting their decision to deal Robinson before the regular season and could explore a running back addition via free agency or the trade market.
September 11: A cart transported Austin Ekeler off the field tonight in Green Bay, and the Washington running back is unlikely to play again this season. Some inside the Commanders organization believe the veteran pass-catching back suffered a season-ending injury, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
Ekeler will undergo an MRI, but the expectation — according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter — is his second Commanders season will end after two games due to a torn Achilles. This will leave Washington without its top back, as the team traded three-year starter Brian Robinson to San Francisco in late August.
In the second season of a two-year, $8.43MM contract, Ekeler was to play a lead role for the Commanders. At 30 and due for free agency again in March, the former single-season touchdown leader faces an uncertain NFL future. Ekeler went down on a noncontact play in the fourth quarter. Trying to walk off the field under his own power, the dynamic RB fell back to the turf and needed assistance leaving the game.
Although Ekeler could not command a lofty guarantee as a 2024 free agent, he played an auxiliary role in Washington’s journey to its first NFC championship game in 33 years. Missing five games due to injury and complementing Robinson, the former UDFA accumulated 733 scrimmage yards and scored four touchdowns in 2024. He added 173 more yards from scrimmage during the Commanders’ three playoff games. Ekeler landed on IR due to a concussion last year but returned in time for Washington’s postseason run.
Acquired by the Chargers following the 2017 draft, Ekeler has done well to craft a nine-year career out of Division II Western State (Colo.). He outlasted Melvin Gordon in Los Angeles, signing a four-year extension and eventually leading the NFL in touchdowns in both the 2021 and ’22 seasons. Ekeler attempted to secure a raise on the heels of that stretch but was unsuccessful. The Bolts let their then-starter seek a trade, but in an offseason that brought a macro RB crisis, not much interest developed. Ekeler received a minor incentive bump that year and saw an early-season ankle injury lead to a downturn, thus limiting his appeal as a 2024 UFA.
Ekeler joined a stellar collection of RBs as 2024 free agents, hitting the market at the same time Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Aaron Jones, Tony Pollard and D’Andre Swift did. Ekeler’s guarantee ($4.21MM) paled in comparison to the non-Jones contingent here, but as a vested veteran, the rest of his contract locked in this month. While Ekeler will collect the rest of his $8.43MM from the Commanders, the part-time fantasy football analyst has hit a career crossroads thanks to tonight’s development.
Following the Robinson trade and Ekeler injury, the Commanders will probably look to add at the position. The team currently rosters ninth-year veteran Jeremy McNichols and seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The latter flashed against the Giants in Week 1, despite limited duty, and his presence was believed to have influenced the Commanders on the Robinson trade. While seventh-round rookies are not commonly early-season backfield contributors, Washington may have no choice but to give Croskey-Merritt a bigger role immediately.
The Commanders have also seen their Deebo Samuel trade provide good early returns. Famously referring to himself as a “wide back” in San Francisco, Samuel may also see some backfield work. If nothing else, Washington figures to heavily involve the wideout/gadget cog significantly moving forward — perhaps in dusting off his run-game skillset at points. The recent trade acquisition has logged 255 carries (counting playoffs) during his seven-year career. This included a 19-yard rushing touchdown in Week 1.
Nothing but respect for Ekeler. I like how he’s one of players who embraces fantasy football & has been a guest on the Bran Coverage F.F focused podcast the past 2 years.
Terrible. I always have a soft spot for a UDFA made good and he’s one of my favorites in the league.
Hell of a career. He may find a vet min deal somewhere in the off season but if not 9 years ain’t too shabby. Lasted longer than Donnell Pumphrey who was a popular back coming out of SDSU in 2017. Leonard Fournette. Marlon Mack Wayne Gallman
haha shoutout Marlon Mack. Booker High legend
Nib high football rules!
At least they got deebo whos a ball carrying wr
Sad to see. I hope that’s not it for him.
Ekeler is even more of a turnover machine than Melvin Gordon was. Washington will be better off without him.
Well, aren’t you a ray of friggin sunshine. Show some respect for a guy whose career just ook a significant downturn.
Old team….old players break down…get used to it with this team…..
@ Sherminator
Ekeler averaged 530 yards a season which would make him a marginal backup option at RB if he could protect the ball (which he couldn’t). He was lucky to last in the league as long as he did…but send him a crying towel if it makes you feel better.
Aside from being weirdly nasty about Ekeler for no reason, you’re also leaving out all his receiving production.
You’re a clown. He’s put up some of the best receiving numbers for a back we’ve ever seen, and did it with multiple 500/500 seasons!
It’s over.
Gordon cost his teams many games over the years, whether with the Chargers or in Denver.
Ekeler’s a workhorse back and that injury is a season-ender. Skins gonna need Deebo for those games vs. Philly and Dallas.
Lemon just because you’ve singled out a guy’s worst statistic doesn’t mean he’s an overall negative.
Talk about kicking a guy when he’s down sheesh.
It’s a shame they don’t have another veteran back like Brian Robinson jr. on the bench, teams just don’t give away backs like that for a sixth round pick. Jeremy McNichols will probably see a sudden surge in value for fantasy football players.
Jacory time
no it’s BILL CROSKEY and he can dribble a bowling ball!
Time for Rodriguez
How about trading a 6th round pick for Jerome Ford? It’s a win-win for both teams.
A few of things:
Ekeler has averaged 1121 yards from scrimmage and 9 TDs over his entire career (8 years), excluding the small amounts from this season. He’s had three seasons with at least 1550 yards from scrimmage and scored double-digit TDs in each of those seasons.
He also has fumbled an average of 3 times each season as well (24 in total). While the production was nice, it is hard for a team to keep a guy on the field if he loses the ball that much.
Having said that, he’s had a pretty decent career for where he started out. But he has looked slower the last two seasons and now 30, and with the injury, his best days are almost assuredly behind him.
True, Washington, at this point and in this season, might be better off without him but we should at least acknowledge and applaud him for putting together a pretty decent career for a D-II school, UDFA kid.
In Thursday’s game against the Packers, at one point Ekeler ran five yards on fourth down with five packers draped on his back. Ekeler has been both a gadget back but can run like a powerback on occasion. He’ll be a big loss to the Commanders without Brian Robinson. That trade is looking very bad after an Ekeler injury.
Lol what? Pretty decent?
He’s put up amazing numbers for an undersized undrafted RB from a small school.
Darn Achilles tendons !
Hopefully Judkins is next. Shouldn’t have been this guy.
Wishing for injuries is wack
It’s spelled whack Brian.
Just play Chris Rodriguez already. This is getting ridiculous.