TRICEPS NIGHTMARE: Commanders' $30M Man Tunsil Headed for Surgery as O-Line Takes a Gut Punch
Well, that didn't take long to go sideways.
The Washington Commanders just got a gut-punch of an injury update that's going to send shivers through the entire NFC East: star left tackle Laremy Tunsil is headed for surgery to repair a torn triceps, and the big fella is expected to miss significant time.
Head coach Dan Quinn dropped the news Monday, and while he wouldn't put a precise timetable on Tunsil's return, he made it clear the Commanders are hoping the five-time Pro Bowler can still play again this season.
What went down?
Tunsil suffered the injury during Saturday's practice in a one-on-one pass-rush drill. He immediately bent over in apparent pain, clutching his right side before stumbling to the medical tent. Yeah, it looked bad. And now we know it was.
“It's always tough to talk about a player missing time, especially a great player like LT,” Quinn said Monday. “Not only is he an unbelievable player, but he is an absolutely fantastic teammate. He'll be missed, and we certainly can't wait to get him back.”
Recovery time for this kind of injury typically runs at least four months — and can stretch to six or seven. That puts Tunsil's season in serious jeopardy, even if the team is holding out hope for a late-year return.
Who's stepping up?
Quinn confirmed that Brandon Coleman will slide in as Washington's starting left tackle while Tunsil is out. And here's the kicker: the Commanders aren't planning to look outside the organization for reinforcements. That's a bold move — or a desperate one, depending on how you see it.
Coleman isn't exactly a raw rookie. He started 12 games at left tackle as a rookie in 2024 and three more last season when Tunsil was banged up. He'd been battling Chris Paul for the left guard job this summer, but now he's being thrown back into the fire at the most important spot on the line.
“[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.”
Confident or not, this is a massive blow to a Commanders offense that was built to make noise in 2026.
The stakes are enormous
Washington made Tunsil the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history this offseason, signing him to a two-year extension with $61.5 million in total guarantees. He became the first offensive lineman ever to average $30 million per season. Yeah, they bet the farm on him — and now they've got to hold the line without him.
Tunsil, 32, has long been considered one of the NFL's elite tackles. In ESPN's recent survey of coaches and executives heading into the 2026 season, he was the only Commander named in the top 10 at any position. That's how valuable this dude is.
Now the Commanders are asking a young, unproven left tackle to protect the blind side of their franchise quarterback while their $30 million man rehabs. No pressure, Brandon.
The surgery hasn't happened yet, but once it does, the Commanders will have a clearer picture of when — or if — Tunsil can return. Until then, Washington's Super Bowl window just got a whole lot narrower.