Washington Commanders dealt crushing blow as $60M star suffers serious injury before new NFL season

The Washington Commanders have been dealt a huge blow ahead of the new NFL season with star offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil suffering a torn triceps.

The left tackle signed a two-year, $60.2million extension with the Commanders in March, becoming the first offensive lineman to earn over $30million per season. But he is now set to undergo surgery to repair the injury and will miss a significant chunk of the season. 

Tunsil was injured in a one-on-one pass rushing drill in training camp on Saturday. The full timeline of his recovery is not yet known, with head coach Dan Quinn hoping the 32-year-old will be able to return before the end of the season.

‘It’s always tough to talk about a player missing time, especially a great player like LT,’ Quinn said. ‘Not only is he an unbelievable player, he is an absolutely fantastic teammate. 

‘He’ll be missed, and we certainly can’t wait to get him back. The on-field portion speaks for itself. The off-field portion is also significant. The relationships with his teammates. It’s significant for us.’ 

The injury comes as a huge concern for the Commanders offense and third-year quarterback Jayden Daniels, who himself is coming back from an injury-plagued sophomore season. 

Tunsil is one of the NFL’s best LTs and recently signed a big-money contract extension

Tunsil, a five-time Pro Bowler, has established himself as one of the top pass protectors in the league since being drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 2016 and arrived in Washington via a trade from the Houston Texans last offseason.

After losing Tunsil, head coach Quinn revealed the franchise plans to look within for his replacement, with backup Brandon Coleman lined up to move into the starting left tackle role. 

Coleman started as a rookie in 12 games in 2024, then filled in for the injured Tunsil in three games last year. The former TCU standout was battling for the starting left guard spot with Chris Paul entering training camp but is now in line for another opportunity after Tunsil’s misfortune. 

‘[Coleman] has played a lot of winning football at left tackle here, and we know he’s ready for it,’ Quinn said. ‘He’s put in an excellent offseason, and the team’s very confident in him.’ 

The Commanders will get a first look at Coleman back at left tackle in action against the Miami Dolphins on Friday in the first of three preseason games. Their regular season begins against the Philadelphia Eagles on the road on September 13.