The Week 6 game against the San Francisco 49ers has kept the Washington Commanders on their toes right from the beginning, as the Niners secured a 10-point lead (13-3) within the first quarter. But concerns for the Commanders rose with about 2:16 left in the first quarter, when their wide receiver, Terry McLaurin, went down with a possible injury to his knee.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“#Commanders WR Terry McLaurin is getting carted to the locker room with an apparent knee injury,” NFL Insider Ari Meirov reported on X.
It happened during a third-and-nine, right after Niners defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa sacked Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels at Washington’s 38-yard line. But near the sideline, McLaurin was running a route to escape cornerback Deommodore Lenoir’s cover and possibly secure a reception. However, his left leg gave way, and he slammed to the ground, grabbing his knee as he rolled over.
He even tried to move to the sideline on his own. Unfortunately, the injury seemed severe, and he went down before touching the sideline. The wide receiver lay on the ground as the paramedical staff came over to check on him. In the end, they carted him off the field after putting an air cast on his left knee.
Analyzing the way his left knee moved before McLaurin fell, he could have sustained a patellar tendon rupture. According to injury analyst Jeff Mueller, the primary concern is a left patellar tendon or quadriceps injury. He also suggested that it could be an ACL injury. But either way, McLaurin will miss out on at least a few weeks.
Later, David J. Chao, official injury expert for FOX Sports Radio, pointed out that the possible left patellar tendon rupture would mean the wide receiver has to go under the knife to repair his knee. It would also mean that his season has ended.
McLaurin had caught only one pass for 27 yards before he injured his knee. Of course, the Commanders lost one of their prime receivers who synergized pretty well with Stefon Diggs and Daniels. He became a part of the Commanders in 2019 and has caught 512 passes for 7,164 yards and 42 touchdowns over these years.
Terry McLaurin was already dealing with an injury
Over his first six seasons with the Washington Commanders, McLaurin has missed only three games due to injury, per The New York Times. But in 2025, he missed seven games, and that reflected on the standings as the team couldn’t make it to the playoffs. In the 2026 season, he missed the Week 4 game against the Indianapolis Colts because of an injured hamstring.
It’s worth noting that even though he played the game against the New York Giants in Week 5, he had a limited appearance in the practice sessions.
Right now, Stefon Diggs will step in as the primary wide receiver. Meanwhile, Antonio Williams will likely take up an expanded role as the second wide receiver on the field for the Commanders. But the Commanders can also rely on Treylon Burks, who already has two touchdowns in the 2026 season.
While Diggs is more than capable of leading the passing attack, losing a beloved locker-room leader and consistent playmaker to what looks like a season-ending knee injury is a massive blow to Washington’s 2026 campaign. And that reflected on the scoreboard as the Niners secured a 17-point lead by the end of the second round.