Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler Cooper Neill/GettyImages

Commanders' worst fears cruelly confirmed with Austin Ekeler injury update

Originally posted on Riggo's Rag | By Dean Jones | Last updated Sep 13, 2025 11:53 AM ET

It was a disastrous Thursday Night Football clash in more ways than one for the Washington Commanders. They were heavily beaten by the Green Bay Packers. They also suffered some concerning injury issues that could impact their chances of mounting another deep postseason push in 2025.

The most concerning of all centered on running back Austin Ekeler. He went down with a non-contact injury and immediately looked in severe pain. He got helped off the field, but it didn't look good. He was immediately ruled out with an Achilles injury, and insider reports suggested that it could be season-ending.

Head coach Dan Quinn stated that there would be no additional information until further tests were carried out. It wasn't looking especially promising for Ekeler, and the player confirmed the worst fears of fans.

Austin Ekeler has likely played his last game for Commanders after cruel blow

Ekeler tore his Achilles tendon at Lambeau Field. This will rule him out for the entire 2025 campaign. Considering that he is also out of contract this spring, it's likely that he's played his final game for the Commanders.

Here is Austin Ekeler’s message to fans on IG https://t.co/crQFY3jcoA pic.twitter.com/aiKAjy7grK
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 13, 2025

The Western Colorado product, who was once considered among the league's most prolific dual-threat backfield weapons, now faces a grueling rehabilitation process before getting back to full health.

Washington will help him for as long as he's under contract, but it might take even longer than that to get back to optimum fitness levels. Add to this the concussion issues last season and the overall punishment his body has taken, and this latest setback might be enough for the NFL to give up on Ekeler entirely.

Ekeler has earned $35.49 million throughout his career, and that's just from NFL contracts. He's got long-term financial security, so this might be a good time to preserve his health and focus on family. That won't be in his thoughts right now, but it probably should be.

He owes the game absolutely nothing. Ekeler fought his way from undrafted obscurity to secure 9,053 combined yards (rushing and receiving) and 73 touchdowns. He earned second-team All-Pro honors and even got votes for NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. His journey far exceeded even the greatest expectations, but all good things must come to an end at some point.

It's a bitterly disappointing development for someone who represented a big part of the team's offensive strategy in 2025. The Commanders must roll with the punches, which likely includes getting Chris Rodriguez Jr. more involved after he was inactive for the opening two contests.

Those plans no longer include Ekeler. A cruel end to what could have been a highly profitable campaign for the player.

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

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