Austin Ekeler Achilles injury update: When will Commanders star return after going down vs Packers?

Austin Ekeler fantasy owners and Commanders fans received some bad news. The star running back suffered an Achilles injury and had to be carted off the field.

Updated on: Sep 12, 2025, 09:04:27 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Austin Ekeler fantasy owners and Washington Commanders fans received some bad news on Thursday. The star running back suffered an Achilles injury and had to be carted off the field.

Austin Ekeler #30 of the Washington Commanders in action vs New York Giants (Getty Images via AFP)

“#Commanders starting RB Austin Ekeler, who was carted to the locker room with a non-contact injury, was ruled out with an Achilles injury. A potentially significant injury,” NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Awful,” Adam Schefter wrote.

When will Austin Ekeler return?

While the severity of his injury has not been revealed yet, Achilles injuries, such as tears, typically require 9 to 12 months for full recovery, depending on rehabilitation. Initial immobilization with a cast or boot lasts 6-8 weeks, followed by physical therapy for 4-6 months to regain strength and mobility.

Athletes, like NFL players, may return to play around 9-12 months, with potential for earlier return (6-9 months) if rehab progresses well, though risks of re-injury linger.

What happened to Ekeler?

Ekeler suffered a torn Achilles injury and had to exit late in the fourth quarter after a non-contact cut on a route. The veteran, who had a strong Week 1 performance with 30.6 rushing yards and 30.5 receiving yards per game, was carted off.

Washington Commanders Depth Chart

Wide Receivers (WR)

Terry McLaurin (First)

Noah Brown (First)

Deebo Samuel (First)

Chris Moore (Second)

Luke McCaffrey (Second)

Jaylin Lane (Second)

Left Tackle (LT)

Laremy Tunsil (First)

Lucas Niang (Second)

Left Guard (LG)

Brandon Coleman (First)

Chris Paul (Second)

Center (C)

Tyler Biadasz (First)

Michael Deiter (Second)

Right Guard (RG)

Sam Cosmi (First)

Nick Allegretti (Second)

Right Tackle (RT)

Andrew Wylie (First)

Josh Conerly Jr. (Second)

Trent Scott (Third)

Tight Ends (TE)

Zach Ertz (First)

John Bates (First)

Ben Sinnott (Second)

Colson Yankoff (Second)

Quarterbacks (QB)

Jayden Daniels (First)

Marcus Mariota (Second)

Josh Johnson (Third)

Running Backs (RB)

Austin Ekeler (First)

Jeremy McNichols (Second)

Chris Rodriguez Jr. (Third)

Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Third)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

Catch all the latest Sports News, scores, and highlights in one place. Stay updated with real-time coverage of your favorite games and athletes along with Lionel Messi latest updates.