Commanders Rookie DT Phidarian Mathis Carted Off With Injury

The rookie suffered an injury on the team's second drive.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 11, 2022

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders have started off strong against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a 7-3 lead in the first quarter, but it may have come at a price.

Commanders second-round rookie defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis suffered a knee injury on the first play of the team's second defensive drive against the Jaguars. Trainers tended to his left knee for a few minutes before bringing out the cart for the former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman.

Mathis was drafted to add depth in the interior defensive line with Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, so while his loss won't affect the first team, it hurts the team's depth should he be out for this game and beyond.

Mathis is a former 4-star prospect from the state of Louisiana.

In the 2021 season, Mathis took a huge step in production, as he collected more than 40 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and more than seven sacks. He made significant strides as a pass-rusher, which helped his draft stock.

Mathis is a versatile defender that can line up in multiple different alignments along a defensive front. He is excellent against the run and is able to consistently lock and shed offensive linemen to make timely tackles.

Mathis can play on multiple fronts and will immediately provide a physical presence for Washington. In fact, Mathis has the potential to earn a starting role his rookie year and become a productive defensive lineman for many years.

The Commanders lead 7-3 in the first quarter.

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Published Sep 11, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.