Austin Ekeler was supposed to be a key piece of the Washington Commanders’ offense in 2025. Instead, his season ended abruptly in Week 2Â with a torn Achilles, a brutal non-contact injury that immediately ruled him out for the rest of the season.
So when Ekeler popped up on Netflix’s NFL Christmas broadcast team in December, it naturally sparked confusion…and a bigger question among fans: did the Commanders’ running back quietly step away from football?
Did Austin Ekeler Retire?
The simple, one-word answer to that question: NO! He hasn’t retired. But going a little deeper, it’s safe to admit that he did contemplate retirement.
During a conversation with Andrew Whitelaw back in September, the host asked Ekeler about his long-term plans once his NFL playing days are over. The 30-year-old RB didn’t hesitate to zoom out beyond the field.
“Yeah, absolutely, you know, I have two years, so I’m in my second of my two-year deal out here, so looking forward to putting our best foot forward this year, making another run. We got a little bit of unfinished business,” he said.
In hindsight, those words carry more weight than anyone expected, with Ekeler’s season-ending Achilles injury cutting that “unfinished business” short before it truly began. And it was a bummer, considering how consistent he was last season: 77 carries for 367 yards across 12 games, averaging 4.8 yards per carry.
Ekeler was equally candid as he acknowledged the reality that comes with mileage in the league.
“Once you get to year nine, I feel like you got to reevaluate your mental and your body health after every single season,” he said, a reflection that now feels especially timely given his sudden pivot from the field to the broadcast booth.
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NFL Christmas Gameday 2025 will feature a star-studded broadcast team on Netflix, including Ian and Noah Eagle, Kay Adams, Drew Brees, Nate Burleson, Michael Irvin, and WWE Superstar Seth Rollins.
Among the new additions is Ekeler, who will serve as a studio analyst.
Ekeler’s Looking Forward to the Gig
The injury in Week 2 altered Ekeler’s season, but it also opened a new door. Netflix approached him about joining the Christmas Day broadcast, and he didn’t hesitate.
“I saw this as an opportunity to provide some type of value to my team, as I can’t play,” Ekeler told Boardroom. “I’m pretty much useless when it comes to on-the-field opportunities, but hopefully I can hype my team up as much as I can from the sideline.”
He’ll be on the desk with Irvin and Devin McCourty, hosted by Kay Adams, while the game is called from Landover by Ian Eagle, Matt Ryan, and Nate Burleson. Despite Washington’s struggles, Ekeler is eager to provide insight rooted in accountability and effort. “It’s not been the season that we expected it to be,” he said of the 4-10 Commanders (now 4-11, after losing to the Eagles).
“However, I know with DQ, and what he’s done, he’s kept that team’s spirits high and is making sure they’re fighting for every blade of grass. So, I’m looking forward to describing the controllables as football players on a football team.”
He surely could have added a boost to this offense, which is ranked 15th on PFSN’s offensive impact metrics. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Meanwhile, Broadcasting isn’t a sudden pivot for Ekeler. He has been laying the groundwork for years through Twitch streams on The Ekeler Dome, radio appearances, podcast segments, and even a broadcasting boot camp.
On Christmas Day, his goal is clarity without tearing anyone down. “You are there to have an opinion, you are there to express yourself,” Ekeler said. “I’m talking about the reason why the stats are the way they are, whether they’re good or bad. And I’m looking to really bring some good energy to a good production.”
Still, the future isn’t settled, especially with him in his last year of the contract with the Commanders. Ekeler admits that the decision between his media career and his business ambitions won’t be simple. “It’s tough. I need to weigh the self-fulfillment that I’ll get out of that career choice.”
As he continues rehabbing from the Achilles injury and reflects on what comes next, Ekeler is staying present.
