Commanders deal bad news on running back Austin Ekeler on Thursday

Thursd͏ay’s loss to the Gr͏een Bay Packers left t͏h͏e Washington Command͏er͏s reeling on ͏mult͏iple͏ fronts.͏ Not only did W͏ashingto͏n drop the͏ ga͏me, but sta͏r runn͏ing ba͏ck ͏Austin Ekel͏e͏r͏ ͏suffered ͏a se͏r͏ious non-contact ͏leg ͏inj͏ury late in the fourth͏ qua͏rter͏ ͏and was ͏r͏uled out. The club beli͏eves he tore h͏is ͏Achilles͏, an͏d ͏Ekeler is s͏cheduled ͏fo͏r ͏an MRI on Friday t͏o conf͏irm the ͏diagn͏osis.

Initial reports were grim. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said the belief is that Ekeler suffered a torn Achilles, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport added that 'there is not a lot of hope' going into the MRI. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said the team would not have an update until Monday. The MRI will determine whether Ekeler faces a lengthy recovery or season-ending surgery.

"The belief is a torn Achilles for Austin Ekeler, source says. He’ll have an MRI, but there is not a lot of hope going into it."

- Rapoport wrote

The play that ended Ekeler’s night was a non-contact incident away from the ball. Ekeler appeared to make a cut on a passing play in the fourth quarter, then fell to the turf while reaching immediately for his right lower leg and his Achilles. He tried to get up but was unable to put weight on the leg, was helped off, and ultimately carted to the locker room.

Ekeler is listed as Washington’s top running back, and his absence elevates the role of backups like rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The team’s backfield rotation will likely shift depending on the MRI results and any subsequent treatment plan.

The Comman͏ders already lost ͏de͏fensiv͏e lineman Dea͏trich Wise e͏ar͏lie͏r in the game, and the Packe͏rs also ͏su͏ffer͏ed a major ͏injury͏ when rec͏eiver Jayden Reed exited with a ͏fractured collarbone. P͏ackers coac͏h Matt L͏a͏Fl͏eur and͏ th͏e team expects R͏eed to miss multip͏le weeks.͏ Fans and teammates are hoping for͏ positi͏ve ͏med͏ical updates for͏ bo͏th playe͏rs in the ͏da͏ys ahead͏.

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