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.
Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing around 200 pounds, Ekeler built his reputation on a rare blend of speed, receiving skill, and pass protection. After seven seasons with the Chargers, he joined Washington on a two-year contract in March 2024, where he also contributed on kick returns and earned his first All-Pro selection.
Early Life and Background
Austin Ekeler was born on May 17, 1995, in Lincoln, Nebraska. He grew up in Colorado and attended Eaton High School in Eaton, where he played football for the Fightin’ Reds. Despite standing only 5 feet 5 inches as a freshman, Ekeler quickly became the centerpiece of the offense, finishing his high school career with 5,232 rushing yards and 71 touchdowns on 561 carries, averaging 9.15 yards per carry. He added 581 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior, cementing his status as one of the most productive players in Colorado high school history.
Despite those numbers, Ekeler was a zero-star recruit who attracted little interest from Division I programs. Wyoming recruited him but never extended an offer, and his only scholarship chances came from Adams State, Chadron State, Oklahoma Panhandle State, and Western Colorado. The first three wanted to move him to defense; Western Colorado was the only program willing to keep him at tailback. His mother, Suzanne Ekeler, played college basketball at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, giving the family a strong athletic foundation.
Path to American Football
Ekeler committed to Western Colorado University, where he played from 2013 to 2016. As a freshman, he started nine games and led the team with 1,049 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. His production grew each season, peaking as a sophomore when he set school records with 1,676 rushing yards and 2,093 all-purpose yards. As a junior, he led NCAA Division II in all-purpose yards per game with 203.9 and scored 12.6 points per game, the highest in the division. He closed his senior year with 1,495 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.
That production made him Western Colorado’s all-time leader in rushing yards. Still, his small-school pedigree and modest frame meant he went undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft. He signed a three-year, $1.66 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers that included a $5,000 signing bonus, beginning one of the more remarkable undrafted careers in modern NFL history.
Austin Ekeler Career
Early Career (2017-2018)
Ekeler made his NFL debut in the 2017 season opener against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, catching two passes for 18 yards. His first career touchdown came in Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles, a 35-yard rush on his first NFL carry. He closed his rookie year with 260 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 27 receptions, 279 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns, showing immediate value as a dual-threat back.
In 2018, Ekeler posted 554 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 39 receptions, 404 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns. He helped the Chargers earn the No. 5 seed in the AFC Playoffs, contributing 43 scrimmage yards in the Wild Card win over the Baltimore Ravens and three receptions for 19 yards in the Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots.
Los Angeles Chargers Breakthrough (2019-2022)
Ekeler became the Chargers’ starter in 2019 after Melvin Gordon’s holdout, opening with 12 carries for 58 yards and the game-winning touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts, plus six catches for 96 yards and two scores. He finished 2019 with 557 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 92 receptions, 993 receiving yards, and eight receiving touchdowns. In Week 14, he became the first player since Herschel Walker in 1986 to average over 10 yards per carry and reception in a 100-yard rushing and receiving game.
On March 16, 2020, Ekeler signed a four-year, $24.5 million contract extension. A hamstring injury and hyperextended knee limited his 2020 season, but he returned to finish with 530 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, 54 receptions, 403 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns. In 2021, he set career highs with 911 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 647 receiving yards, and eight receiving touchdowns, scoring 20 total touchdowns to tie Jonathan Taylor for the league lead. He joined LaDainian Tomlinson as the only Chargers players to score at least 20 touchdowns in a season.
In 2022, Ekeler again led the NFL with 18 total touchdowns, adding 915 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 107 receptions, 722 receiving yards, and five receiving touchdowns. He became one of only two players in NFL history, alongside Marshall Faulk, to record at least 10 rushing touchdowns and at least five receiving touchdowns in consecutive seasons. He added two rushing touchdowns in the Wild Card loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Washington Commanders Era (2024-Present)
Ekeler signed a two-year contract with the Washington Commanders on March 18, 2024. He suffered a concussion in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals and missed the following week, then suffered a second concussion in Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys and was placed on injured reserve. He returned for the regular season finale and finished 2024 with 77 carries for 367 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, 35 receptions, and 366 receiving yards. He added 594 kickoff return yards on 19 returns, averaging 31.3 yards per return, and earned Second-Team All-Pro honors as a kick returner, his first All-Pro selection.
In the second game of the 2025 season, Ekeler suffered a non-contact Achilles injury against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football and was carted off the field. He was placed on injured reserve on September 15, ending his season. He finished 2025 with 43 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ekeler is known for his receiving ability, vision in space, and reliability in pass protection, traits that allowed him to stay on the field on all three downs. His kick-return work in 2024 added a second dimension to his game, and his track-type strengths have historically been the open field and the passing game rather than between-the-tackles power running.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones include joining LaDainian Tomlinson as the only Chargers to score 20 touchdowns in a season, matching Marshall Faulk with 10-plus rushing and 5-plus receiving touchdowns in back-to-back years, earning his first All-Pro nod in 2024 as a kick returner, and setting Western Colorado’s all-time rushing record in college.
Austin Ekeler Career Wins
Ekeler has never started a playoff run that ended in a Super Bowl, but he has logged one postseason victory and several notable regular-season performances across his career.
Los Angeles Chargers Highlights
Ekeler’s 2019 Week 1 overtime win at Indianapolis, where he scored the game-winning rushing touchdown, helped launch his role as the Chargers’ lead back. He added a Wild Card win over the Baltimore Ravens in January 2019. His 2021 and 2022 seasons produced league-leading touchdown totals and signature performances, including a Week 5 2022 game against the Cleveland Browns with 173 rushing yards and a touchdown, plus a 72-yard career-long run against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17 that earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond his Chargers tenure, Ekeler has contributed complementary roles with Washington, including a kickoff return average that ranked third league-wide in 2024 and a Second-Team All-Pro selection as a kick returner, his first individual league honor.
Austin Ekeler Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Ekeler’s younger brother, Wyett Ekeler, played football at the University of Wyoming. 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. He 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, allowing sports personalities to grow their online communities through livestreaming.
2025 Season Performance
Ekeler’s second season with Washington ended almost immediately. In Week 2, he suffered a non-contact Achilles injury against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football and was carted off the field. The next day, the team ruled him out for the remainder of the season, and he was placed on injured reserve on September 15.
His final 2025 totals were 43 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards in limited action. The injury adds uncertainty to his role going forward, though he remained under contract through 2026. Washington’s running back room is expected to handle a larger workload in his absence.
Ekeler’s prior 2024 production, including his All-Pro kick-return work, suggests he still has a path back to a featured role once healthy. His experience as a pass-catcher and special teams contributor gives the Commanders multiple options for his return in 2026.