The Washington Commanders are hosting the Philadelphia Eagles in a critical game on “Sunday Night Football” and doing so without two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
McLaurin, now 31 years old, tore his patellar tendon during a Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in the Bay Area the last time Washington took the field. The Commanders (1-4-1) spent last week on a bye, resting and trying to figure out how to get their season back on track before it’s too late.
The injury knocked McLaurin out not just for that game, but for the remainder of the season in an enormous blow to quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Washington offense. He had 15 catches for 230 yards and one touchdown before going out for the year.
The wideout signed a three-year, $97 million extension ahead of the 2025 campaign after four straight years without missing a single game. However, he sat out seven contests last season due to multiple soft-tissue injuries and will have appeared in just five games in 2026 by the time the campaign concludes.
McLaurin has caught 513 passes for 7,191 yards and 42 TDs over the course of his eight-year NFL career (112 games played, 112 starts).
Commanders’ Pass-Catchers Struggling in First Game Absent Terry McLaurin
Given McLaurin’s injury, the Commanders will have to replace his production for the remainder of the campaign.
Washington will rely on veteran Stefon Diggs, who they signed to a one-year contract during the offseason, and rookie Antonio Williams, a third-round pick in the 2026 draft out of Clemson.
Tight end Chig Okonkwo, like Diggs, was also free-agent addition in Washington this offseason and could pick up some of the slack. However, he lost a fumble to the Eagles in the first quarter deep in Commanders’ territory that led to a Philly touchdown and an early 10-0 lead in what is something close to a must-win contest for both teams in Week 8.
Commanders Need Victory Against Eagles on ‘Sunday Night Football’ to Keep Hopes Alive
The Commanders wouldn’t be in such dire straits had they not collapsed at the end of overtime against the New York Giants in Week 5.
Daniels and head coach Dan Quinn each bear some responsibility for poor clock management at the end of overtime that robbed the Commanders of a chance to kick a game-winning field goal.
Had Washington attempted that kick, and made it, the team would be a home win against the Eagles on Sunday night away from a 3-4 record.
With that mark, the Commanders would head into the midway point of the regular season with a half-game lead on both the Eagles and Dallas Cowboys and would be just one game behind the Giants and holding the head-to-head advantage. But that is a hypothetical “what-if” that is no longer a possibility.
As such, Daniels has an uphill battle to win back the trust of Commanders fans, while Quinn is probably fighting for the remainder of the season just to keep his job beyond 2026.
Terry McLaurin Injury: What Happened to Commanders WR? When Will He Return?