Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen has a torn left pectoral muscle that will end his season and likely require surgery, head coach Dan Quinn said Monday.
Allen sustained the injury in the Commanders’ 30-23 loss Sunday to the Baltimore Ravens and was ruled out of the game in the fourth quarter.
He had an MRI on Monday and will get a second opinion before the final decision is made, according to media reports.
“It’s a big blow for us,” Quinn told reporters. “Jon Allen’s obviously been a staple player here and the play style and the attitude. … We’re really bummed for him as the man and the ballplayer. We’ll certainly miss him this season. He’ll likely get surgery in the days ahead.”
Allen, 29, would represent a significant loss for the surprising Commanders (4-2), who lead the NFC East.
A two-time Pro Bowl selection, the 6-foot-3, 300-pound Allen has manned the defensive line since Washington selected him in the first round (17th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.
He has avoided a major injury until now, starting at least 15 games in each season since 2018.
In 107 career games (all starts), he has 41 sacks to go with 397 tackles (59 for loss) and 117 quarterback hits. In six games this season, he has 15 tackles and two sacks while playing 62 percent of the snaps on defense.
The Commanders host the Carolina Panthers (1-5) in Week 7. They also are dealing with injuries to defensive ends Dorance Armstrong (rib or oblique) and Javontae Jean-Baptiste (ankle).
“We’ll have a better sense for where they are in the days ahead,” Quinn said, “but definitely was a hard afternoon on the D-line on some injuries.”
Rookie defensive tackle Johnny Newton, a second-pick this year who missed the preseason following foot surgeries, and 2022 second-round pick Phidarian Mathis could see much more playing time.
“It’ll be a multitude of people and roles and how we can feature guys to do that because Jon’s rare and he’s got unique skills and talent, so it’s not just plug and play,” Quinn said. “The good news is we got a big, deep crew and we’ll feature all of them a little bit differently in finding the ways that we can do that.”
–Field Level Media
