If the Washington Commanders are going to complete their miraculous run to the Super Bowl, they’re going to have to do it without some of their most talented (and highly paid) players.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on January 25 that the Commanders would be without Pro Bowl defensive tackle Daron Payne for the NFC Championship Game on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles on January 26.
“Commanders downgraded DT Daron Payne to out for Sunday’s NFC Championship game due to knee and finger injuries,” Schefter wrote on his official X account.
Payne’s injury comes after guard Sam Cosmi tore his ACL in the NFC Divisional Round upset win over the Detroit Lions on January 19.
Cosmi and Payne both being out means the Commanders will not only be missing veteran presences up front on both sides of the ball but that they’ll also be missing $164 million in terms of salary. Cosmi signed a 4-year, $74 million contract extension in September 2024 and Payne signed a 4-year, $90 million contract extension in March 2023.
Payne’s injury will represent the first game he’s missed since the 2019 season — he’s started 70 consecutive games for the Commanders dating back to the 2020 season opener.
Payne’s Absence Opens Door for Allen, Newton
Payne’s absence puts the pressure on Washington’s interior defensive line on 2 players who should be up to handling the assignment — veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and rookie defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton.
Allen, a 2-time Pro Bowler, made a miraculous recovery from a torn pectoral muscle in Week 6 that originally had him projected to be out for the rest of the season. Allen returned for the final 2 games of the regular season and both of the Commanders’ playoff wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Lions.
Like Payne, Allen is one of the highest paid players on the Commanders’ roster with a 4-year, $72 million contract extension signed before the 2021 season. He was also a popular subject of rumors before the NFL trade deadline.
Newton has had a solid but not spectacular rookie season after being drafted in the second round (No. 36 overall) out of Illinois and coming back from preseason foot surgery — he had 44 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 6 TFL and 7 QB hits in 16 games while making 11 starts.
Washington is on an 8-game winning streak headed into the NFC Championship Game and trying to make it to their first Super Bowl since the 1991 season, when they defeated the Buffalo Bills, 37-24, in Super Bowl XXVI.
Washington’s Defensive Stars in Last Super Bowl
The last time Washington won a Super Bowl their defense was led by a future Pro Football Hall of Famer in cornerback Darrell Green playing for a future Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach in Joe Gibbs.
That team was also considered one of the best teams in NFL history — the NFL ranked them No. 15 overall on its list of the 100 greatest teams on the NFL’s 100th Anniversary. Using an analytical approach, website Football Outsiders ranked Washington’s 1991 team as the best in the NFL in terms of efficiency dating back to the 1986 season.
In 2010, ESPN ranked the greatest Super Bowl-winning teams of all time and had them play in a virtual tournament, with Washington’s 1991 team coming out on top.
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Commanders Get Bad Injury News on $90 Million Pro Bowler