SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was carted off the field Monday night after suffering a left knee injury during the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers.
Team officials quickly ruled McLaurin out for the rest of the game, the Associated Press reported. The injury occurred on a third-down play with approximately two minutes left in the opening frame as McLaurin attempted to separate from San Francisco cornerback Deommodore Lenoir. McLaurin immediately grabbed at his left knee and remained on the turf while medical personnel rushed to his side.
Reports from SB Nation and Bleacher Report noted that an air cast was placed on McLaurin’s leg before he was driven from the field. Players from both rosters knelt along the turf to show support as the veteran receiver was taken to the locker room.
The loss deals another blow to a struggling Washington squad that entered the contest at 1-5, trailing an undefeated 49ers team that built a 20-3 lead by halftime, Fox News reported. McLaurin had caught one pass for 27 yards on Monday prior to the injury.
Impact on Washington’s Offense
McLaurin, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, has served as Washington’s primary receiving target since being drafted in 2019. Over his career, he has accumulated 513 receptions for 7,191 yards and 42 touchdowns, according to the AP. He achieved five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2020 through 2024 before a quadriceps issue limited him to 10 games in 2025.
Before kickoff, McLaurin addressed the team’s difficult start to the season in comments to the ESPN broadcast crew, as reported by Fox News.
“I’ve just been telling our guys we’re going through the fire right now,” McLaurin said. “You want to get to something, you gotta go through it. You can’t go around it.”
With McLaurin sidelined, the Commanders will lean more heavily on veteran wideout Stefon Diggs alongside a younger receiving corps that includes Dyami Brown, Treylon Burks and Antonio Williams, Bleacher Report reported. The Commanders offense has already been depleted by injuries this season, having lost offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil to a season-ending triceps injury, according to Fox News.
Injuries Mount on Both Sides
McLaurin was not the only player forced out of Monday’s contest. Late in the second quarter, Commanders defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw suffered a knee injury and was officially ruled out for the remainder of the evening, the AP reported.
San Francisco also dealt with an unexpected setback just before halftime. Veteran wide receiver Mike Evans walked to the locker room with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter after catching three passes for 94 yards, according to Fox News.
The full severity of McLaurin’s knee injury and a timetable for his potential recovery were not immediately confirmed following the game.
