The Washington Commanders‘ star wide receiver, Terry McLaurin, took the field Monday night against Kansas City for the first time since suffering a quad injury back in Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders. But his comeback lasted just till the late third quarter when, during a 25-yard sideline catch, everything went sideways again.

The timing couldn’t be worse as Washington sits at 3-5 and desperately needs wins to stay alive in a crowded NFC playoff race. What makes this particularly concerning is the medical perspective on McLaurin’s situation. NFL injury expert and CEO of The Injury Expertz, Dr. Jesse Morse, laid out the brutal reality in plain terms. He confirmed the quad reinjury and indicated McLaurin will miss Week 9 at minimum, with a possibility he could be sidelined through the bye in Week 12.

More alarming was Morse’s warning about the long-term implications, as Quad injuries are tricky and can tend to linger and resurface. If McLaurin cannot get the injury under control, there’s a possibility this could become a season-ending concern for Terry.

Head coach Dan Quinn wasted no time making the call to rule out McLaurin for Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old wideout had three receptions on four targets for 54 yards. He also had one touchdown in his comeback game vs. the Chiefs. McLaurin had been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise forgettable 28-7 loss to Kansas City. With quarterback Jayden Daniels still recovering from his own hamstring issue and sitting out the Chiefs game, the offense needed McLaurin to carry some of the load.

But the bigger plays matter less when a player cannot stay on the field, and Monday night was another painful reminder of that reality for Washington.

Terry McLaurin’s absence exposes the Commanders’ depth issues

The bigger picture here is that McLaurin has already missed four full games this season, which marks the first time in his entire NFL career that he has missed consecutive contests since he entered the league in 2019. That Ironman status is gone now, shattered by a quad injury that just won’t quit. Before 2025, he enjoyed four years from 2021 to 2024, where he played in all 17 regular-season games.

The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala pointed out the real kicker: Daniels and McLaurin have played only two games together this entire season.

That lack of continuity has haunted the Commanders all year. An offense cannot function properly when its star quarterback and top receiver are constantly dealing with health issues and haven’t had enough reps together. The injury list for the Commanders is absolutely staggering at this point. Running back Austin Ekeler suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 2 vs. the Packers.

Defensive end Dorance Armstrong had his season end with a knee injury in Week 7. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil exited the game vs. the Chiefs early with a hamstring issue.

However, the good news for the Commanders is that Daniels is expected to practice in full this week after sitting out Monday night. If he can get through the week healthy, he will likely be back under center against the Seahawks. But facing a 5-2 Seattle team that just came off a bye will not be an easy scenario for a Commanders squad trying to stay competitive without its top receiver.