Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) looks on from the field during final minute of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Terry McLaurin gives main reason Commanders lost to Chiefs

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Joanne Coley | Last updated Oct 29, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Washington Commanders fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 28–7 on Monday night, but fans were happy to see Terry McLaurin back on the field after being sidelined for weeks with a quad injury.

Their only score came courtesy of McLaurin, a toe-tap catch in the end zone that was initially ruled incomplete, then overturned after review for the Commanders' first and only touchdown of the game.

Being back on the field meant everything to McLaurin, especially as someone who has rarely missed a game since joining Washington. “It was great to be out here with my teammates, honestly,” McLaurin told WUSA9 in a postgame interview.

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McLaurin has long been a cornerstone of the offense and a reliable target. The veteran receiver has recorded five 1,000-yard seasons and set a career high with 13 touchdowns last year. “I just try to bring who I am to this team as a player and as a leader,” said McLaurin.

In the first half, the Commanders' defense helped keep things close, only holding Kansas City to just seven points thanks to two takeaways. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore grabbed the first interception, and the second came when a pass intended for Travis Kelce deflected into the hands of Bobby Wagner. The plays helped the Commanders go into halftime tied with the Chiefs.

But the momentum shifted after the break. “It was just a tale of two halves,” McLaurin said. “Defense did a great job getting us the ball back twice.”

Despite those turnovers, the offense couldn’t capitalize, coming up short on key fourth-down conversions. “You know, we kind of let some things on the field early in the first half that we feel like we could have executed, maybe gave ourselves a little bit of a gap,” McLaurin said. “And so as the offense, we just got to capitalize on that better.”

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The Chiefs eventually pulled away, with Patrick Mahomes connecting for touchdown passes to Kareem Hunt, Travis Kelce, and Rashee Rice. Washington couldn’t find a response.

“Second half, they just executed a lot better than we did,” McLaurin admitted. “We had some good moments but couldn’t really sustain anything. So, um, yeah, you got to give them credit because they made uh some adjustments and they executed their game plan in the second half."

The Commanders now fall to 3-5 on the season and will aim to bounce back as they prepare to take on the Seattle Seahawks.