Will Austin Ekeler play for the Commanders against the Cardinals? NFL Week 4 injury status
In the team’s first trip to the desert since 2020, the Washington Commanders will take on the Arizona Cardinals, but they’ll do so without their star running back.
At 2-1, the Commanders are on the up while at 1-2, the Cardinals are not. This Week 4 clash will pit Washington’s high-functioning offense against an Arizona team that’s trying to find its feet which is precisely why it’s going to be intense.
Austin Ekeler will miss Week 4′s dance in Arizona
Unfortunately for the Washington Commanders, running back Austin Ekeler has been forced to put his impressive start to the season on hold. According to an announcement from head coach Dan Quinn on Wednesday, Ekeler will not feature in the Week 4 game against the Cardinals.
Quinn had previously stated on Tuesday that the 29-year-old suffered a concussion and an ear laceration during the second half of Washington’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. To that end, Ekeler did not return to the contest and subsequently flew back to Ashburn, Virginia overnight rather than traveling with the team to Arizona.
Needless to say, this comes as a blow to Washington’s offense with Ekeler having enjoyed a very productive run of form through the first few weeks of the season, notching 204 scrimmage yards on 22 touches (13 rushing, nine receiving) and scoring one rushing touchdown.
Further to that, Ekeler has also shown himself to be adept when used for dynamic kickoffs with an average of 36.3 yards per return (four total kick returns) in 2024, the first season in which he’s filled such a role since the 2017 campaign with the Chargers. With Ekeler now ruled out, expect to see the Commanders turning to Brian Robinson as well as Jeremy McNichols.