Leo Chenal Injury Leaves Washington Commanders Dangerously Thin at Linebacker

Originally posted on TWSN | By Marissa Myers | Last updated Sep 28, 2026 11:26 AM ET

What Leo Chenal’s Season-Ending Injury Means for the Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders secured their first win of the 2026 season with a victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

While the Commanders earned the win, they learned some bad news on Monday morning as Jordan Schultz reported that linebacker Leo Chenal will be undergoing season-ending surgery after suffering a fracture in his neck.

#Commanders LB Leo Chenal, who was taken off the field with a scary-looking injury on Sunday, will undergo season-ending surgery this morning for a fracture in his neck, per sources.

Most importantly, Chenal has feeling in all his extremities, and the expectation is that he’ll… pic.twitter.com/6SsFyefj4D
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 28, 2026

The important part is that he has feeling in all his extremities and is expected to make a full recovery.

Leo Chenal Had Become An Important Player for the Washington Commanders’ Defense

Chenal had just signed with the Commanders this past offseason after having spent his first four NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.

With his power, size, and athleticism, Chenal had grown into a pivotal player who filled in many roles. Through three games, Chenal produced 18 tackles and gave them a physical early-down defender. Washington must now look to replace Chenal while dealing with their linebacker depth already being depleted.

This article first appeared on TWSN and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: