Commanders Rank No. 2 in Salaries Paid for Missed Games

Injuries are a part of the game and the business of football. But some teams paid quite a bit more than others in 2021

The NFL is, at times, a sport of attrition. Many times a game comes down to which team is the healthiest at the time of the contest, especially late in a season.

Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Brad Mills/USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Scherff

© Brad Mills 2020 Oct 25

Landon Collins

Injuries always have been, and always will be a part of not just the game, but the business of football. That's why depth on rosters is so important and discussed so often. With the massive salaries that players are commanding in this era of the NFL, it's hard to imagine how NFL front offices deal with paying injured players and how that affects the rest of the roster.

From sprained ankles to broken bones to torn ACLs, a recent report has revealed the true price of injuries for each team, and which players cost the most. 

The report was based on how many games a player missed and that player's average salary per game. While the Washington Commanders came in at No. 2 as a team, spending a whopping $20,488,742 on injured players in 2021, three players for Washington ranked in the top 30 for individual player injury payouts. The league average was $13,560,000. 

Former Commanders quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick came in at No. 27, as he missed almost the entire season due to a hip injury suffered in Week 1. Washington paid him $2,823,529 during his recovery period, which ended up being the entire 2021 season.

Former safety and part-time linebacker Landon Collins missed the final two games of the season following a foot injury against Philadelphia in Week 15. Collins was paid $2,941,176 for his time missed, which is No. 23 on the list.

© Geoff Burke 2020 Oct 25

Landon Collins

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Ryan Fitzpatrick

© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Scherff

Now-former offensive line standout Brandon Scherff just inked a massive deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars but missed six games for Washington in 2021 due to injuries and COVID concerns. Scherff still hauled in $3,182,824 during his time off, which is No. 20 on the list.

Coincidentally, none of the three players on this list are still with the Commanders.

The New York Jets topped the list with their injured players costing them an astonishing $28,670,537 throughout the 2021 season. Safety Marcus Maye, on his own, cost the Jets $6.2 million over the course of the season having missed 10 out of 17 games the Jets played – more than the entire injury salary costs of the Philadelphia Eagles ($4,988,413) and the Buffalo Bills ($4,867,233), who are Nos. 31 and 32 respectively.