Terry McLaurin carted off, Mike Evans hurt as 49ers hold off Commanders 23-17 on brutal MNF
On Monday Night Football, top wideout Terry McLaurin had to be carted off the field with an apparent left knee injury after going down without contact.
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Teammates and Niners players alike took a knee for McLaurin as he exited, leaving Washington facing a 13-3 deficit against undefeated San Francisco.
Terry McLaurin No. 17 of the Washington Commanders is carted off the field after a play against the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter at Levi's Stadium on Oct. 19, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Getty Images)
The injury comes with the Commanders sitting at the bottom of the NFC at 1-5, still trying to regroup after a Week 5 clock-management blunder by quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Before kickoff, McLaurin — long regarded as the leader of Washington's locker room — spoke to the ESPN broadcast crew about steadying the team through the rough stretch.
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"I've just been telling our guys we're going through the fire right now," McLaurin said. "You want to get to something, you gotta go through it. You can't go around it."
Terry McLaurin No. 17 of the Washington Commanders smiles after an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks at Northwest Stadium on Sept. 27, 2026, in Landover, Md. (Getty Images)
McLaurin entered Monday leading Washington with 14 receptions for 203 yards and a touchdown.
Since entering the league in 2019, McLaurin has remained Washington's most dependable receiving threat. The two-time Pro Bowler's knack for contested catches yielded five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (2020–2024) despite an inconsistent quarterback carousel, though injuries did limit his 2025 campaign to 10 games.
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San Francisco also sustained a notable injury hit before the break, as wide receiver Mike Evans left the game with less than a minute left in the second quarter.
Mike Evans No. 5 of the San Francisco 49ers runs on the field during the first quarter against the Washington Commanders at Levi's Stadium on Oct. 19, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Getty Images)
Evans went back to the locker room after a 16-yard reception, leaving with three receptions for 94 yards. The Niners took a 20-3 lead into the break.
Washington's offensive depth now faces another test.
Offseason addition Stefon Diggs took several hard hits from the Niners' defense before halftime, and the Commanders have already lost star offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil to a season-ending triceps injury.
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Alejandro Avila is a longtime writer at OutKick, living in Southern California.
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