Commanders RB Austin Ekeler turns devistating injury into one unique opportunity for life after football
The Washington Commanders have been riddled with injuries this season, including season-ending ones to multiple starters.
Veteran running back Austin Ekeler was poised to have a massive season with a critical role on offense, but all of that was cut way too short. Ekeler went down in the second game of the season with a long road to recovery.
Instead of sitting back and just giving up, Ekeler does what he always does: keeps his head up and makes the most of it. While he's recovering, Ekeler has a very unique opportunity that not many players get.
Austin Ekeler to be a guest on Netflix during the Commanders' Christmas Day game
Just because Ekeler's season is over, that doesn't mean he can't take part in the team, just in a much different way. The Commanders are hosting the Dallas Cowboys at home for a rivalry game on Christmas Day, and Ekeler will be there. He won't be on the field, but instead he'll be working on his life after football skills as a desk analyst for the game on Netflix.
Announcing our on-air talent for NFL Christmas Gameday
Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders at 1 PM ET
Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings at 4:30 PM ET
LIVE on Netflix December 25pic.twitter.com/vW6CJmlrir — Netflix Sports (@netflixsports) November 18, 2025
Ekeler will join Kay Adams, Devin McCourty, and Michael Irvin to discuss the Commanders vs. Cowboys game, which promises to be very entertaining. We all know Ekeler has a strong screen presence, and he's known for his activity in the fantasy football community, as well as podcasts and shows when he's not on the field. This gives him a big stage to show what he can do on the media side of football whenever he decides to hang it up. We aren't sure if Ekeler will come back to keep playing after his gruesome injury, and maybe this is it for him.
Feb 7, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler at the NFLPA Press Conference at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center prior to Super Bowl LVIII. © Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Austin Ekeler's injury might be the end of a magical run
It's weird to see a player in the media talking about a game involving a team he's still technically part of, even if his season is over. Ekeler tore his Achilles tendon during the Week 2 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, and that's a tough injury to come back from. He will also be 31 heading into next season, so maybe this is a preview for what's to come if he decides to call it a career.
Regardless, this is a big opportunity that he's going to crush, and be an enjoyable watch, which is great because we have no idea what to expect from this team anymore with a 3-8 record.
Jake Guentzel's hat trick propels Lightning to win, Snapping Devils’ Streak in Hughes’ Absence
The Tampa Bay Lightning bounced back in a big way, taking down the top team in the Eastern Conference, the New Jersey Devils , 5-1. Jake Guentzel led the way, picking up his eighth career hat trick and his third as a member of the Lightning.
Big Offensive Night for Lightning
The man of the night, Guentzel, opened the scoring in the first period with an unassisted goal. However, his efforts didn’t shine right away. When the Lightning extended their lead to 2-0, Anthony Cirelli arguably had the highlight of the night with a no-look pass to Nikita Kucherov that set him up for the goal.
This big play would set the Lightning up to carry that 2-0 lead to the end of the first period. Halfway through the second period, Guentzel picked up his second goal on the power play to make it 3-0.
The Devils got themselves on the board after a shot from Arseny Gritsyuk bounced off goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, giving Nico Hischier a chance to knock it in. It remained a two-goal game heading into the final period of play.
Darren Raddysh made it a three-goal game again with his second goal of the season. Along with Guentzel, this goal put him in striking distance of a three-point performance. Raddysh assisted Guentzel’s hat-trick sealing goal along with Kucherov.
Two of Guentzel’s goals came on the power play, providing the team with a breath of fresh air on special teams. They had been uncharacteristic on the power play most of the season. They’ve scored on 15.3% of their chances, which is near the bottom of the NHL this season. By comparison, the Devils, who have had one of the top power-play units this season, failed to capitalize on four opportunities.
Both teams will return to action on Thursday. The Devils will head to Sunrise to take on the Florida Panthers. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. EST. Meanwhile, the Lightning will host the Edmonton Oilers at 7:30 p.m. EST.
Three Stars of the Game
- Jake Guentzel (three goals)
- Darren Raddysh (one goal, two assists)
- Andrei Vasilevskiy (.969 save percentage)
