Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin tears patellar tendon, will miss rest of season

The Washington Commanders lost the heart of their offense for the rest of the season.

Receiver Terry McLaurin tore the patellar tendon in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the year, coach Dan Quinn said Tuesday.

"Man, he brings a lot on and off the field," Quinn said. He called the injury "a big hit" and said the team will lean on a number of players to replace him.

How it happened

McLaurin, 31, was hurt with 2:16 left in the first quarter of Monday night's 23-17 loss at San Francisco. He went down while cutting on a route on a play that ended with quarterback Jayden Daniels being sacked. He finished the night with one catch for 27 yards.

He still leads Washington with 15 catches for 230 yards this season. McLaurin missed a Week 4 game against the Colts with a hamstring injury before returning a week later.

The face of the franchise

McLaurin joined Washington as a third-round pick in 2019 and posted five straight 1,000-yard seasons from 2020 to 2024. He was named a captain this season.

He became a fan favorite through a rough stretch for the team, which included five losing seasons in his first seven years and a sale of the franchise. He played with 13 different starting quarterbacks before Daniels arrived in 2024.

What comes next

The injury also clouds his future in Washington. McLaurin signed a three-year extension in 2025 that gives the team the option to release him or restructure the deal after this season. Releasing him would save about $8.5 million against next year's salary cap.

Stefon Diggs has started opposite McLaurin. Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown and rookie Antonio Williams are among the receivers who could see more snaps.