Is Austin Ekeler Playing Today? Examining if the Commanders RB Is Playing in Wild Card Round After IR Stint

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler suffered a concussion in Week 12 but returned to play in Week 18. He was originally placed on injured reserve while in the NFL’s concussion protocol and returned for the final game of the regular season. He was a full participant at practice this week and is expected to play Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Austin Ekeler Back From Concussion Protocol

Ekeler played in Week 18 against the Atlanta Falcons. He ran the ball three times for 12 yards and caught two passes for 20 yards. He was the team’s lead option last week, despite missing four games while on injured reserve.

What Was Ekeler’s Injury?

It has been a rough season for Ekeler, who’s taken a pounding rushing the ball. Earlier in the year, he went down with a concussion in Week 3. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, he was able to partake in just 13 snaps before being taken off the field. Thankfully, the situation didn’t last long, with Ekeler returning in Week 5.

Unfortunately, in Week 12, the concussion bug hit him again. Against a physical Dallas Cowboys defense, in a rough divisional game, Ekeler once again went down with a concussion, this time on a kick return. Immediately out of the game, he went through the concussion protocol and was placed on injured reserve. He came back for the final regular season game against the Falcons.

How Has Ekeler’s Absence Impacted the Commanders?

At full strength, the Commanders had the fantastic combo of Brian Robinson, Jr. and Ekeler, without mentioning the running ability of Jayden Daniels himself. But in Ekeler’s absence, they’ve had to rely on Jeremy McNichols to provide alternate snaps.

Even though he was having a relatively quiet season, Ekeler was still good for over 350 yards in just 11 games played. For a three-headed running monster like the Commanders, that dynamic was part of the offensive balance.

Robinson has been heavily responsible for making up for Ekeler’s absence in the lineup. While he has far more yards (729) than Ekeler, as is to be expected from the team’s RB1, his role continues to increase with Ekeler out of the rotation.

Ekeler signed with the Commanders after a terrible season with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023. He could not find the magic he had in 2021 and 2022 when he scored a combined 38 touchdowns. In 2023, Ekeler suffered a high ankle sprain in the season opener, missed three games as a result, and never found his previous form.