Austin Ekeler Bio
Austin Ekeler is an American professional football running back for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Colorado Mountaineers, finishing as their all-time leader in rushing yards before signing with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2017. With the Chargers, Ekeler led the NFL in touchdowns for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He earned Second-team All-Pro honors in 2024, the first All-Pro selection of his career.
Early Life and Background
Austin Ekeler was born on May 17, 1995, in Lincoln, Nebraska. He attended Eaton High School in Eaton, Colorado, where he played high school football. Despite being only 5 feet 5 inches tall as a freshman, Ekeler rushed for 454 yards and 8 touchdowns on 70 carries during his first year. By the end of his high school career, he amassed 5,232 rushing yards and 71 touchdowns on 561 carries, averaging 9.15 yards per carry, with another 581 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
Ekeler was a zero-star recruit who saw little interest from Division I schools. Wyoming recruited him but never offered a scholarship, and his only scholarship offers came from Adams State, Chadron State, Oklahoma Panhandle State, and Western Colorado. Notably, the first three universities wanted to switch him to the defensive side of the ball. Western Colorado was the only school to offer him at the running back position.
Path to American Football
Ekeler chose to attend Western Colorado University, where he played college football from 2013 to 2016. He immediately made an impact as a freshman, starting nine games and leading the team with 1,049 rushing yards to go along with seven rushing touchdowns. His sophomore year saw him set school records with 1,676 rushing yards, 2,093 total all-purpose yards, and 190.3 all-purpose yards per game, while also scoring 14 rushing touchdowns.
As a junior, Ekeler led Division II in all-purpose yards per game with 203.9 and in scoring, averaging 12.6 points per game, with 19 rushing touchdowns. He finished his senior season with 1,495 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. Over his college career, he became Western Colorado’s all-time leader in rushing yards. His achievements earned him RMAC Offensive Freshman of the Year honors in 2013 and four consecutive first-team All-RMAC selections from 2013 to 2016.
Austin Ekeler Career
Los Angeles Chargers (2017–2023)
Ekeler signed a three-year, $1.66 million contract that included a $5,000 signing bonus with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent following the 2017 NFL Draft. In the season-opening 24-21 loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, he made his NFL debut, recording two receptions for 18 yards. In Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles, he scored his first career touchdown on his first NFL carry, a 35-yard rush. Overall, he finished his rookie season with 260 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 27 receptions, 279 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns.
In the 2018 season, Ekeler continued to develop as a versatile weapon for the Chargers. He finished with 554 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 39 receptions, 404 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns, helping the Chargers earn the number-five seed for the AFC Playoffs. In the Wild Card Round against the Baltimore Ravens, he had 43 scrimmage yards in the 23-17 victory. He added three receptions for 19 yards in the Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots.
Breakthrough Seasons (2019–2022)
The 2019 season marked Ekeler’s emergence as a starting running back while Melvin Gordon held out due to a contract dispute. In Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts, he rushed 12 times for 58 yards and the game-winning touchdown, in addition to catching six passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns in the 30-24 overtime win. In Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he finished with 101 rushing yards on just eight carries, with four receptions for 112 receiving yards and a touchdown. He became the sixth player ever and the first since Herschel Walker in 1986 to average over 10 yards per carry and reception in a 100/100 game. He finished the season with 557 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 92 receptions for 993 receiving yards, and eight receiving touchdowns.
On March 16, 2020, Ekeler signed a four-year, $24.5 million contract extension with the Chargers. He suffered a hamstring injury and a hyperextended knee in Week 4 and was placed on injured reserve on October 9, 2020. He was activated on November 28 and finished the season with 116 carries for 530 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown, to go along with 54 receptions for 403 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
The 2021 season became Ekeler’s career-defining year. In Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders, he had 15 carries for 117 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and one receiving touchdown. Overall, he finished with career-highs of 206 attempts for 911 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns, to go along with 70 receptions for 647 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. With 20 total touchdowns, he tied with Colts running back Jonathan Taylor for the league lead. He joined Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson as the only two players in Chargers franchise history to score at least 20 touchdowns in a single season.
In 2022, Ekeler continued his dominant form. In Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns, he had 16 carries for 173 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown to go along with a receiving touchdown. He became only the second player in NFL history, alongside Marshall Faulk, to have 10 or more rushing touchdowns and five or more receiving touchdowns in consecutive seasons. He finished the season with new career-highs of 204 carries for 915 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, to go along with a career-high 107 receptions for 722 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. He led the league in total touchdowns scored for the second consecutive season with 18. In the Wild Card Round against the Jaguars, he scored two rushing touchdowns in the 31-30 loss.
Washington Commanders Era (2024–Present)
Ekeler signed a two-year contract with the Washington Commanders on March 18, 2024. He suffered a concussion in a Week 3 Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals and sat out the following week against the Arizona Cardinals. In Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys, he suffered another concussion and was placed on injured reserve. He was activated for the regular season finale against the Cowboys. Ekeler finished the 2024 season with 77 carries for 367 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, to go with 35 receptions for 366 receiving yards. He finished third in the NFL with 594 kickoff return yards on 19 total returns in 12 games. His 31.3 yards per return average also ranked third among players with at least 15 kickoff returns. He earned Second-Team All-Pro honors as a kick returner in 2024.
During the second game of the 2025 season, Ekeler suffered a non-contact injury during the Thursday night game against the Green Bay Packers and was carted off the field. The next day, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season with an Achilles tear. He was placed on injured reserve on September 15, 2025, finishing the season with 43 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards.
Playing Style and Strengths
Ekeler is known for his versatility as both a rusher and receiver out of the backfield. His ability to create mismatches in the passing game, combined with his explosiveness and elusiveness, made him a valuable weapon in the Chargers’ offense. His low center of gravity and vision allow him to find holes and break tackles, while his soft hands make him a reliable receiving option. His return ability was on display in 2024 when he earned Second-Team All-Pro honors as a kick returner.
Austin Ekeler Career Statistics
Ekeler has built an impressive NFL career spanning multiple seasons with the Chargers and Commanders. His career totals include 4,765 rushing yards on 1,085 attempts with 43 rushing touchdowns, along with 480 receptions for 4,288 receiving yards and 30 receiving touchdowns. He also contributed 679 return yards during his career.
NFL Career Highlights
Ekeler led the NFL in total touchdowns for the 2021 season with 20 (12 rushing, 8 receiving) and repeated the feat in 2022 with 18 (13 rushing, 5 receiving). He became only the second player in Chargers franchise history, alongside LaDainian Tomlinson, to score at least 20 touchdowns in a single season. His 2022 season saw him earn a ranking of 21st on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023 as voted by his peers.
College Career
At Western Colorado, Ekeler finished as the program’s all-time leader in rushing yards. He set single-season school records with 1,676 rushing yards as a sophomore and accumulated 2,093 total all-purpose yards that year. His junior season saw him lead all of Division II in all-purpose yards per game.
| Competition Level | Games | Rushing Yards | Rushing Avg | Rushing TD | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Receiving TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFL Regular Season | 118 | 4,765 | 4.4 | 43 | 480 | 4,288 | 30 |
Austin Ekeler Family
Family Background and Support System
Austin Ekeler comes from an athletic family. His younger brother, Wyett Ekeler, played football at the University of Wyoming and is currently a defensive back for the Indianapolis Colts. His mother, Suzanne Ekeler, played college basketball at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Austin’s biological father left the family at a young age and is currently serving a life sentence in a Nevada maximum security prison.
Personal Life
Ekeler married Melanie Wilking on May 25, 2024. The couple welcomed their first child, a son, on May 18, 2026. Outside of football, Ekeler established the Austin Ekeler Foundation in 2021 with a mission to help create opportunities for people to fulfill their passions and ultimately their lives. The same year, he founded the Gridiron Gaming Group as a way for sports personalities to grow their online communities by livestreaming with other athletes.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season took a devastating turn for Ekeler early on. During the second game of the season against the Green Bay Packers, he suffered a non-contact injury during the Thursday night contest and was carted off the field. Medical evaluation the following day revealed an Achilles tear, which required season-ending surgery. He was placed on injured reserve on September 15, 2025, bringing an abrupt end to his campaign with just 43 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards in limited action. The injury marked a significant setback for the veteran running back as he works toward recovery and a potential return to the field in future seasons.