AUSTIN EKELER NEWS

Hollywood Brown, Bobby Wagner headline X-factors for AFC, NFC title games

The QBs get the spotlight, but role players like Hollywood Brown, Bobby Wagner, Dallas Goedert and Khalil Shakir could decide who gets to th...

26 MINS AGO

Washington Commanders timeline on the way to the NFC championship game

The Washington Commanders are in the NFC championship game after going 12-5 in the regular season and winning two playoff games

1 DAY AGO • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Commanders roll into the NFC title game at Philadelphia after getting 5 turnovers against Detroit

After winning five nail-biters in a row, the Washington Commanders advanced to the NFC championship game comfortably because their defense got five turnovers and their offense neve...

2 DAYS AGO • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Turnovers and depleted defense contribute to top-seeded Lions' quick playoff exit

The Detroit Lions worked all season to earn the NFC's top seed and ensure they wouldn't have to play anywhere but Ford Field until the Super Bowl

4 DAYS AGO • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lions host Commanders on Saturday night as NFC's top-seeded team for 1st time in franchise history

The Detroit Lions host the Washington Commanders on Saturday night in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs

6 DAYS AGO • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pro Picks: Chiefs, Bills, Lions and Eagles will advance to the conference championships

The road to the NFL’s final four features seven of the eight division winners

JANUARY 15 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Commanders choose to 'be bold' going for it on 4th down, and that has them still in the playoffs

Dan Quinn has said he wants to be a coach people remember for always going for it

JANUARY 14 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Takes 11 touches for 53 yards Ekeler took eight carries for 27 yards and caught three of four targets for 26 yards in Sunday's 23-20 win at Tampa Bay.

Impact Ekeler's 11 touches and 47 percent snap share put him slightly behind Brian Robinson, who had 10 carries for 16 yards and four catches for 22 yards (five targets) while playing 53 percent of snaps. Neither RB found much room against a tough Tampa Bay run defense, and they'll now face another one of the NFC's top run-stuffing teams -- at least on paper -- when they head to Detroit in the divisional round. The Lions probably aren't as difficult to run on as many statistics suggest, as they've lost a slew of defenders to season-ending injuries, including DE Aidan Hutchinson (leg) and DT Alim McNeill (knee).

JANUARY 13 • ROTOWIRE

Jayden Daniels leads Commanders to first playoff win in nearly 7,000 days, 23-20 over the Buccaneers

Jayden Daniels ran for a critical first down to set up Zane Gonzalez’s 37-yard field goal that clanged off the right upright and went through as time expired, and the Washington Co...

JANUARY 13 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

2024 NFL All-Pro Team: Lamar Jackson, Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, more

Lamar Jackson beat out Josh Allen, and Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for The AP 2024 NFL All-Pro Team.

JANUARY 10

2024 NFL All-Pro Team Voting

2024 NFL All-Pro Team Voting

JANUARY 10 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mayfield and the Buccaneers host Daniels and the Commanders in what could be a prime-time shootout

Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren’t satisfied with just getting to the playoffs again

JANUARY 9 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Five touches in return from IR Ekeler (concussion) rushed three times for 12 yards and caught both of his targets for 20 yards in Sunday's 23-19 win over the Cowboys.

Impact Ekeler returned from injured reserve to make his first appearance since Week 12. He reprised his role as the change-of-pace option behind Brian Robinson in Washington's backfield. Ekeler finishes the regular season with 77 carries for 367 yards and four touchdowns, as well as 35 catches for 366 yards on 41 targets in 12 appearances. The Commanders will go on the road in the wild-card round against either the Rams or Buccaneers.

JANUARY 5 • ROTOWIRE

Mariota leads playoff-bound Commanders to 23-19 win over Cowboys after replacing Daniels

Marcus Mariota threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin with 3 seconds left, lifting Washington to a 23-19 victory over the Dallas Cowboys and clinching the sixth seed in th...

JANUARY 5 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Commanders activate RB Austin Ekeler (concussion) off IR The Washington Commanders activated running back Austin Ekeler off injured reserve Saturday, one day before the regular-season finale agains...

JANUARY 4 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Commanders Activating RB Austin Ekeler From IR Ahead of Playoff Push The veteran back will return to the fold just in time for the Commanders playoff run.

JANUARY 4 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Activated, clear to return Sunday The Commanders activated Ekeler (concussion) from injured reserve Saturday, and he doesn't have a designation for Sunday's game at Dallas.

Impact Since he was designated for return from IR on Wednesday, Ekeler put together three straight full practices and entered the weekend listed as questionable for Week 18 action. In conjunction with activating him Saturday, the team took him off the injury report, thereby paving the way for his first appearance since he sustained a concussion Week 12 against the Cowboys. At the very least, Ekeler should take on a pass-catching role out of Washington's backfield alongside lead runner Brian Robinson, which likely will relegate Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez to lesser roles than they've had in recent outings.

JANUARY 4 • ROTOWIRE

Is Austin Ekeler Playing in Cowboys vs. Commanders? Washington Commanders’ head coach Dan Quinn has provided an update on Austin Ekeler ahead of the Dallas Cowboys matchup in Week 18.

JANUARY 4 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Listed as questionable Ekeler (concussion) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Dallas, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

Impact The Commanders designated Ekeler to return from injured reserve Wednesday, at which point he logged the first of three consecutive full practices. He'll need to be activated from IR on Saturday in order to play in the regular-season finale. If that happens, it'll likely mean reduced workloads for Jeremy McNichols and/or Chris Rodriguez, and it's also possible Ekeler would cut into Brian Robinson's usage.

JANUARY 3 • ROTOWIRE

Dan Quinn returns to Dallas with playoff-bound Commanders as Cowboys finish difficult season

Dan Quinn’s playoff streak lives on in his first season with the Washington Commanders

JANUARY 2 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Another full practice Ekeler (concussion) was a full practice participant Thursday.

Impact Ekeler remains on injured reserve due to the concussion he suffered late in a Week 12 matchup with the Cowboys, but his ability to log back-to-back uncapped sessions to begin Week 18 prep implies he's closing in on gaining clearance from an independent neurologist. He'll have to do just that, and then the Commanders will need to activate him from IR by Saturday's 4:00 p.m. ET deadline, in order for him to have a chance to play Sunday at Dallas.

JANUARY 2 • ROTOWIRE

Full participant in return to practice Ekeler (concussion) was a full participant Wednesday in his return to practice.

Impact Full participation improves Ekeler's odds of playing Sunday against the Cowboys, although it's still possible the Commanders hold him out or only give him a small workload. A win this Sunday gives Washington the No. 6 seed and a first-round matchup with the Rams or Buccaneers, while a loss could drop Washington to No. 7 (if Green Bay beats Chicago) and set up a more challenging playoff matchup with the Eagles.

JANUARY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Ekeler may be back as the Commanders are playing to beat the Cowboys and get the NFC's 6th seed

The Washington Commanders have a playoff spot wrapped up, but they still have something to play for in their regular-season finale Sunday at Dallas

JANUARY 1 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Practice window opened The Commanders have opened the the 21-day practice window for Ekeler, who was placed on IR on Nov. 30 due to a concussion.

Impact It remains to be seen if Ekeler will be activated ahead of Sunday's regular-season finale against the Cowboys, but at a minimum the veteran running back will be able to get some practice reps in prior to Washington's upcoming playoff run. If Ekeler is active versus Dallas, he'd probably be eased back into the mix, however, with Brian Robinson, Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez also available to handle Week 18 backfield reps.

JANUARY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Washington Commanders complete a turnaround from 4-13 to making the playoffs behind Jayden Daniels

The Washington Commanders are in the playoffs in their first season with general manager Adam Peters, coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Jayden Daniels

DECEMBER 31, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS