The Washington Commanders may have lost their top receiver for the rest of the season. Terry McLaurin was carted off in the first quarter of Monday night’s 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that McLaurin is feared to have a serious, season-ending knee injury, with an MRI scheduled for the day. The team had not announced results at the time of writing.
What happened
McLaurin was running a route toward the sideline late in the first quarter, covered by Deommodore Lenoir, when he went down with minimal contact and grabbed his knee. He was hurt with 1:56 left in the quarter and Washington trailing 14-3. Teammates and players from both teams gathered around him, and reporters on site said he left with an air cast. The Commanders ruled him out almost immediately.
After the game, coach Dan Quinn said the injury “could be significant” and that the team would do scans Tuesday. ESPN reported that Quinn said there was real fear about what they would show.
The numbers behind the loss
McLaurin caught one pass for 27 yards on Washington’s opening drive, which ended in a field goal. That brought his season total to 15 receptions for 230 yards and one touchdown in five games. He missed the Oct. 4 loss to the Colts in London with a hamstring injury, then returned the next week against the Giants.
The Commanders also lost defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw to a knee injury late in the first half, and he did not return.
A game that got closer
The 49ers scored 20 points on their first five drives, but quarterback Jayden Daniels led two scoring drives of 56 and 66 yards in the second half and made it a one-score game. Washington fell to 1-4-1 on the season. Tight end Chig Okonkwo and receiver Treylon Burks combined for 11 catches and 135 yards after McLaurin left.
Why it matters
McLaurin has been Washington’s top target for years, so losing him would hurt a team already in a deep hole. The injury also adds to a difficult stretch: he missed seven games in 2025, which ended a 72-game streak, and he missed the Colts game this month. ESPN reported that he is due $34 million against the 2027 cap and $39.5 million in 2028, and that releasing him after this season would leave $25.5 million in dead cap. If the injury is season-ending, the contract could shape the Commanders’ offseason decisions. That is speculation until the team says more.
What’s next
The team is expected to share the MRI results on Tuesday. Watch for a roster move, such as an injured reserve placement, and for how Daniels and the passing game adjust.
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