Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was carted off the field in the first half of Monday night’s game against the 49ers with a left knee injury that early video analysis suggests could be a patellar tendon rupture. McLaurin’s left leg appeared to give out while he was running a route, and he went down without contact. Trainers attended to him on the field, placed an air splint on the leg, and took him to the locker room on a cart. The Commanders have not announced a diagnosis, and the official evaluation and imaging will determine the severity, however he was quickly ruled out for a return with a knee injury.
The patellar tendon connects the kneecap to the shinbone and is essential for straightening the leg. When it ruptures, a player typically cannot extend the knee or bear weight, which is consistent with the air splint and cart. If the video read is confirmed, the injury would require surgery to repair the tendon and would end his season, with recovery generally measured in many months. McLaurin turned 31 in September, and recovery from this injury can be especially difficult for a receiver who relies on explosive cuts and acceleration.
The injury is a heavy blow to a player who has already battled through lower-body trouble this year. McLaurin hurt his quad on a 56-yard catch against the Raiders in Week 3 last season, missed four games, and returned on Monday night against the Chiefs to score a touchdown before re-aggravating the same injury and missing the following game against Seattle. It was the fifth time in six weeks he had been sidelined. He also left a preseason game in 2023 with a toe injury that initially produced negative X-rays. Those were soft-tissue and foot issues, and a patellar tendon injury would be a different type of setback, but it adds to a pattern of lower-body problems for one of the NFL’s most consistent receivers.
