Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler had a strong performance in the Divisional Round against the Detroit Lions. However, their biggest challenge in the NFC still awaits him.
The Commanders will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday to crown the kings of the conference. Before the game, Ekeler’s wife, Melanie Wilking, has decided to warn his opponents.
Austin Ekeler’s Wife Swears By Husband’s Work Ethic Before Conference Championship
Ekeler, in his first year with the Commanders, played the role of second-string running back. He ended the season with 77 carries for 367 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
However, he proved his worth against the Lions by carrying the ball six times for 47 yards, registering the highest average amongst all Washington rushers in the contest.
The 29-year-old back will be hoping for a similar performance against Philadelphia, and his wife is there to help him out. Wilking took to her Instagram and posted a picture of Austin with a screenshot of one of his tweets.
“Be humble. Be hungry. And always be the hardest worker in the room,” Austin had tweeted. To this, Wilking captioned her story, “Hardest worker I know.”
Austin has battled through injuries this season but has won fans over with his perseverance and grit. They’ll be hoping to see more of that this Sunday.
With his help, the Commanders offense finished sixth by PFN’s Offense+ metric. Along with his contributions on the ground, Ekeler caught 35 of 41 targets for 366 yards through the air.
Ekeler’s Future Depends On His Performance Against The Eagles
As per a recent report, Ekeler is being considered a prime candidate for cap casualty within the Commanders roster next season. As per Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, most of the carries have been done by Jayden Daniels and Brian Robinson Jr., leaving Ekeler mostly playing as a receiving back.
“It’s fair to wonder if Ekeler needs to be a part of the offense moving forward. Ekeler missed games with multiple concussions this season and will be in his age-30 campaign next season,” he writes.
Thus, Ekeler will have to continue his postseason performance, where he has close to 100 yards in two games, to make his bid for the Commanders’ roster next season.