The Washington Commanders will certainly have a bye week to recover from a 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers before they face the Philadelphia Eagles, looking to improve from 1-4-1 after the first six weeks of the season. At the same time, the team will enter the bye week on a disappointing note, as wide receiver Terry McLaurin went down with an injury against the 49ers.
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After the game, head coach Dan Quinn acknowledged the severity of the injury but did not offer a firm answer. Now, however, the Commanders have received a concerning update on their veteran wide receiver. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, McLaurin is feared to have suffered a serious, season-ending knee injury. Further reports will come after the receiver undergoes an MRI on Tuesday.
The injury occurred during Monday Night Football, when McLaurin was running a passing route near the sideline, while covered by the 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir. The play was a third-and-9 situation.
As he tried to get free from Lenoir, McLaurin suddenly went down. Per reports, his left knee appeared to buckle, and he immediately grabbed it. The incident, however, was described as non-contact to the knee itself, although he was engaged with a defender during the route. On the same play, quarterback Jayden Daniels was sacked.
McLaurin remained on the field as his teammates gathered around him. Medical staff placed an air cast on his left leg before he was carted off the field. The Commanders ruled McLaurin out for the remainder of the game.
By the time he left the field, he had recorded one reception for 27 yards. However, considering the possibility of a season-ending injury, McLaurin’s season could end with 15 receptions for 230 yards and one touchdown.
Official confirmation of whether it’s a season-ending injury will not come until after the MRI, but Dan Quinn already sounded concerned after the game.
“The concern now is that it could be significant,” the head coach said. “We’ll do the scans (Tuesday) and give you an update. But that’s the concern tonight. It’s definitely something that there’s fear.”
Quarterback Jayden Daniels also addressed McLaurin’s injury after the game.
“He’s a brother to me. It sucks. You see how hard he works … Praying for Terry,” said Daniels, per ESPN’s John Keim. “He’s been there for me through a lot since I came into this league, the adverse times I went through last year and so far this year, and he’s been right by my side. I love Terry and appreciate him a lot.”
McLaurin’s injury is especially concerning because he had already missed the Commanders’ Week 4 game against the Indianapolis Colts with a hamstring issue. It could also mark the second straight season that the wide receiver misses more than two games, after he missed seven games in the 2025 season due to a quad injury.
His absence would clearly hurt the Commanders. Through the first six weeks of the season, the offensive struggles are hard to ignore, as the team ranks 21st in the league, averaging 22.0 points per game.
The passing offense isn’t that strong either, as the unit ranks 21st in total passing yards. Of course, injuries have been a major part of the broader issue. Before McLaurin’s apparent knee injury, Daniels missed a couple of games due to an elbow injury. Offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil has not played a single game this season after tearing his triceps in training camp.
Marcus Mariota, Stefon Diggs, Sam Cosmi, and Chig Okonkwo have also missed time this season. For now, it remains to be seen whether Terry McLaurin will miss the remainder of the season, as the wide receiver is set to undergo MRI scans on Tuesday.