Commanders' Jonathan Allen Responds After Season-Ending Injury

The Washington Commanders will sorely miss Jonathan Allen for the remainder of the season after he tore his pectoral muscle in the team's Week 6 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

It's a disappointing end to Allen's season, which appears to be on pace for a potential fight for a playoff spot later in the year, something he has only done once in his eight-year career with the team.

However, coach Dan Quinn revealed a completely different mindset Allen took on after the injury.

“What a great line by John just as opposed to, ‘Hey, don't feel sorry for me, here's a good chance for you to get more chances, more opportunities.’ And that's what a leader does, knowing that there's other guys in the room that will step up, specifically Johnny [DT Jer’Zhan Newton] and knowing that they're ready to take that challenge on," Quinn said. "But I thought that was a great moment by him of allowing in his space of a tough and dark time to say, ‘This is a good opportunity for you, man. Go get it and go take it.’ And everybody deserves those chances when you go for it. And this just happens to be one of those times when, and all of us have been in that spot, like, ‘Man, this is your chance, and you absolutely go for it and go for it as hard as you can.”

Allen is not going to play on the field, but he will be able to support his teammates off of it, and the rest of the defensive line will need it if it wants a chance to remain atop the NFC East standings and continue becoming the biggest surprise in the NFL this season.

The Commanders will begin life without Allen in Week 7 when they host the Carolina Panthers at home.