Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler Kara Durrette/GettyImages

Commanders veteran pushes forward despite brutal injury setback

Originally posted on Riggo's Rag | By Dean Jones | Last updated Sep 27, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Austin Ekeler had big ambitions to make his presence felt as the Washington Commanders' starting running back in 2025. This barely lasted two games before a devastating blow that brought his campaign to an abrupt halt.

Ekeler went down late against the Green Bay Packers, tearing his Achilles tendon. The Commanders placed him on season-ending injured reserve, with many wondering if this would be the end of his NFL career.

Judging by Ekeler's recent social media post, he's going to strive with everything he has to ensure this doesn't eventually become the end of the road.

Commanders RB Austin Ekeler refuses to wallow in self-pity after injury blow

The former Western Colorado standout revealed that he's one week removed from surgery to repair the damage. He's still getting around on a weight-bearing scooter and is in a cast. However, Ekeler is doing whatever he can to stay in shape while also turning his attention to community events in pursuit of keeping football at the forefront during a grueling rehabilitation process.

I appreciate everyone for checking in. Just know, I'm not going to be sitting around. I'll be doing my rehab, and I'm also going to start doing some community events while I have some unfortunate extra free time.Austin Ekeler

Austin Ekeler shares a post-surgery update via his IG:

“They said I couldn’t sweat, they didn’t say I couldn’t work out and do a little bit here and there. A set of 50 curls and 50 shoulder presses every hour, so you know keep the body activated.” pic.twitter.com/M2hiWnqvhc
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) September 26, 2025

Nobody should have expected anything less from Ekeler. He rose from undrafted obscurity to become one of the league's most prolific dual-threats once upon a time. He's overcome significant adversity and come out on the other end smiling. But considering the severity of this injury and his advancing years in NFL terms, this could be his stiffest challenge to date.

The league is run like a business above all else. Teams will know that Ekeler's age, diminishing influence on the field, and injury history are working against him. It doesn't take long for franchises to go in different directions, so staying motivated amid the doom and gloom is imperative.

Ekeler is an upbeat guy. He's also aware that the recovery will be a long process. It'll be hard to get another chance before proving his health. That'll probably be away from the Commanders, so what's essential for the player is focusing on what he can control.

Take things one day at a time, hit specific targets, and let the chips fall where they may after that. That's all he can do, and if Ekeler gets another chance to continue his career after that, he'll have the urgency to seize it, wherever that may be.

And until his contract expires, the Commanders will be on hand to help him every step of the way.

This article first appeared on Riggo's Rag and was syndicated with permission.

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