Commanders fear torn Achilles for Austin Ekeler after non-contact injury vs. Packers

Non-contact Achilles injuries are the nightmare every skill player dreads. Washington saw that nightmare unfold Thursday night when Austin Ekeler crumpled to the turf without a defender touching him late in a 27-18 loss to the Packers.

The play was routine until it wasn’t. Lined up in the slot with under six minutes to go, Ekeler chipped a rusher, paused near the sideline, then pushed to accelerate upfield. He immediately grabbed the back of his right lower leg and dropped. He couldn’t put weight on it. Trainers helped him to the sideline, and after a few minutes he was carted to the locker room. Washington quickly ruled him out.

Team officials fear a torn right Achilles, according to people briefed on the situation. He’s scheduled for an MRI on Friday to confirm the diagnosis and define the damage. If it’s a full tear, the timeline almost certainly wipes out the rest of his 2025 season.

What happened — and why this stings so much for Washington

Achilles injuries often happen just like this: a sudden push-off, no contact, and a player feeling as if someone kicked them in the calf. At age 30, with thousands of NFL touches behind him, Ekeler fits the profile of players most at risk. The tendon handles explosive force on every cut and acceleration — the exact traits that made him valuable.

He had been productive in a tough game, leading Washington with eight carries for 17 yards and catching two passes for seven yards. Through two weeks, he’d started both games and totaled 43 rushing yards on 14 carries with five catches for 38 yards. The counting numbers aren’t flashy, but the usage told you how the staff saw him: a trusted outlet who steadies a young quarterback.

That’s the bigger blow. Second-year passer Jayden Daniels, last season’s AP NFL Rookie of the Year, relies on backs who can uncover quickly and help against pressure. Ekeler is that safety valve. He’s also a veteran traffic cop who keeps protections organized and reminds receivers of splits and checks. Those things don’t show up in a box score, but they help an offense function.

His role expanded last season when Washington made its first NFC title game since 1991. Ekeler piled up 733 all-purpose yards and earned Second-Team All-Pro as a kickoff returner — a notable edge with the league’s revamped kickoff format. Losing him removes a stabilizer on offense and a playmaker on special teams in one shot.

There’s personal weight here, too. Ekeler is in the final year of a two-year deal he signed in March 2024. Injuries have been part of his story since a broken hand as a rookie in 2017, along with stingers, concussions, hamstring issues, and ankle problems. And yet he kept producing: 4,765 career rushing yards and 43 rushing touchdowns on 1,081 carries, plus 480 receptions for 4,288 yards and 30 receiving touchdowns. Few modern backs have matched that dual-threat output.

Medically, Friday’s imaging matters. A full rupture typically leads to surgery, a boot, and a long, careful rehab that runs nine to twelve months — sometimes longer for explosive athletes. Partial tears or high-grade strains can have different paths, but the team’s initial fear points to the worst-case scenario. The first year back after an Achilles is often the toughest for burst and confidence.

What Washington does next — personnel, play-calling, and the road ahead

Depth is supposed to be a plan, not a slogan. Washington built some cover at running back, and now it will be tested.

Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt jumps to the front of the line. The seventh-rounder ran for 82 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in Week 1 against the Giants, then added 17 yards on four carries at Green Bay. He’s shown vision, balance through contact, and enough juice to threaten the edge. The question now is workload. Handling 8–12 touches is one thing; carrying 15–20 against defenses game-planning for you is another.

Jeremy McNichols is a veteran who can pass protect and catch the ball. He’s bounced around the league, but he understands third-down rules and hot routes. That matters next to a young quarterback. Chris Rodriguez Jr. brings a downhill style and short-yardage power. He was inactive for the first two weeks, but that could change quickly with roles to fill on early downs and special teams.

Expect the coaching staff to tweak the call sheet rather than abandon the run game. A few likely shifts:

• More quick-game and RPO looks to replace checkdowns that usually went to Ekeler.
• Heavier screen usage to Croskey-Merritt and the wideouts, forcing defenses to defend horizontally.
• Inside zone and duo with Rodriguez Jr. to keep the offense on schedule on first down.
• Third-down and two-minute packages with McNichols to stabilize protection and route options.

Personnel groupings could tilt toward extra tight ends to help protection and generate easier outlets in the flats. The staff can also manufacture touches for receivers on jet sweeps and orbit motions to mimic some of Ekeler’s space touches.

On special teams, losing a proven returner hurts field position. The team can spread the job across multiple players, but the hidden yards add up. With the new kickoff setup, a solid return phase can swing drives by 10–15 yards. Washington will need clean decision-making there.

Roster-wise, several paths are on the table:

• Elevate a practice-squad back for special teams and depth on game day.
• Scan the free-agent market for a veteran who can pass protect right away.
• Monitor trade calls if the medical news confirms a season-ender and the market is reasonable.

The salary-cap piece depends on the contract structure — guarantees, injury protections, and potential injury reserve designations. Washington can create flexibility with roster moves and short-term deals, but you can’t backfill chemistry. That takes reps.

For fans wondering about timelines: if it’s a full Achilles rupture, the path back usually runs through surgery, a period of immobilization, progressive weight-bearing, then months re-building calf strength and explosiveness. Returning athletes often feel “right” late in the first full season back. Some come back earlier, some need more time. Younger players tend to regain burst faster than older ones. Running backs, who live on short-area explosion, face a steeper climb.

Examples across the league over the last decade show wide ranges. A few players returned in under six months, but that’s rare and comes with workload limits. Plenty needed a full year to look like themselves. Production often dips in Year 1 back before stabilizing. Medical advances help, but biology still calls the shots.

For Washington’s offense in the here and now, this is about minimizing turbulence for Daniels. The staff can help him with early-down rhythm throws, moving pockets to cut free runners, and motion to identify coverage. Backs stepping in must win on option routes, recognize blitzes, and trust their landmarks. Protection rules tighten when the quick outlet is gone.

The Commanders exit Week 2 at 1–1, and the calendar won’t wait. Their defense has kept them in games, but sustaining drives without negative plays becomes more important with a thinned backfield. If they can stay ahead of the sticks and avoid third-and-long, the playbook stays open.

There’s also the emotional piece. The sideline was subdued after the cart came out. Teammates know what a non-contact Achilles usually means. Coaches will say “next man up,” and that’s the job, but the room also understands they’ve lost a tone-setter who’s been in every situation a game can throw at you.

Ekeler’s career deserves a clear-eyed look here. Undrafted out of Western State, he built himself into one of the league’s most reliable dual threats with the Chargers before coming to Washington. He’s at 4,765 rushing yards and 4,288 receiving yards — a rare balance. Thirty receiving touchdowns for a running back is no small feat. His football IQ and effort have always traveled, no matter the scheme.

If Friday’s MRI confirms the worst, this becomes a rehab season and a business decision offseason. Teams value backs who pass protect, catch, and lead. Ekeler does all three. The recovery focus will be regaining push-off power and confidence on cuts — the last pieces to return after an Achilles.

For now, Washington has to cobble together a plan: Croskey-Merritt’s juice early, McNichols’ savvy on third down, Rodriguez Jr.’s power in short yardage, and a playbook tweaked to give Daniels answers. It won’t look the same, but it can still function. The margins — situational football, hidden yards, and turnover avoidance — just got even more important.

Friday’s scan will set the course. The Commanders can only wait, adjust, and hope their rookie runner is ready for a bigger spotlight than anyone expected in Week 2.