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Commanders' Austin Ekeler Hospitalized After Taking Massive Hit vs. Cowboys

The former Pro Bowl RB suffered a concussion in the final seconds of the fourth quarter in Washington's loss.

Liam McKeone

Ekeler had nine carries against Dallas
Ekeler had nine carries against Dallas / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Washington Commanders lost to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, 34-26, in a stunning divisional upset. In the process, running back Austin Ekeler suffered a concussion on a hit so severe he was hospitalized out of an abundance of caution.

Ekeler was back to receive the final kickoff of the game with the Commanders down by eight in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. He took an absolutely massive hit from the Cowboys' kick return team and his teammates immediately gestured for the training staff when the play ended. It was a scary scene.

Ekeler stayed down on the ground for a while and eventually was able to walk slowly off the field.

Following the contest head coach Dan Quinn confirmed Ekeler suffered a concussion. Furthermore, a team spokesperson for Washington informed reporters the running back had been taken to the hospital to be extra careful.

Ekeler, 29, signed with the Commanders this past offseason. In 10 games for Washington this season Ekeler has 65 rushes for 333 yards and four touchdowns.

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Liam McKeone
LIAM MCKEONE

Liam McKeone is a senior writer for the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has been in the industry as a content creator since 2017, and prior to joining SI in May 2024, McKeone worked for NBC Sports Boston and The Big Lead. In addition to his work as a writer, he has hosted the Press Pass Podcast covering sports media and The Big Stream covering pop culture. A graduate of Fordham University, he is always up for a good debate and enjoys loudly arguing about sports, rap music, books and video games. McKeone has been a member of the National Sports Media Association since 2020.

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