Leo Chenal, the former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker who helped the franchise win two Super Bowl titles, was carted off the field on a stretcher during Washington's Sunday game against the Seattle Seahawks in Landover, Maryland, after suffering a neck injury. Chenal remained down for several minutes as medical personnel attended to him before he was loaded onto a cart, and Washington's entire sideline gathered around the field as he was tended to.
According to The Kansas City Star, broadcaster Grant Paulsen said Chenal appeared to lead with his head on the tackle attempt, though Paulsen also noted Chenal was moving his legs as he lay on the field. Fellow reporter Nicki Jhabvala said Chenal was also moving his arms, a small but meaningful sign amid the tense scene. Washington head coach Dan Quinn appeared to say a prayer for Chenal as he was cared for, and the crowd chanted “Le-o! Le-o!” as he was driven toward the tunnel. The Washington Commanders later reported that Chenal had suffered a neck injury and is out for the game.
Per NBC Sports, the injury happened in the second quarter when Chenal collided head-first with Seahawks running back Emmanuel Wilson while attempting a tackle. The play echoes a broader safety rule the NFL adopted in 2018: under Rule 12, Section 2, Article 8, lowering the head to initiate contact with the helmet carries a 15-yard penalty and potential ejection, according to NFL Football Operations. The league adopted that rule unanimously after medical data showed heightened neck injury risk when the head and spine align on impact.
A Rough Stretch Physically Before the Injury
Chenal was already managing a chest injury suffered in Washington's Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and the outlet's report notes he was listed as a limited practice participant during that week's prep. He cleared protocols by Friday and took the field Sunday without a final injury designation, per the same account. Just one week earlier, in his first full start for Washington, Chenal led the defense with 12 total tackles, including six solo stops, in the 37-20 defeat to Dallas.
That elevated workload came because starting inside linebacker Frankie Luvu had been sidelined for consecutive weeks with a groin injury suffered in Week 1 against the Eagles, according to the Washington Commanders. With Luvu out, Chenal was thrust into a primary starting role and paired with rookie first-round pick Sonny Styles to help stabilize a thin linebacking corps.
Injury Adds to Washington's Growing Casualty List
Chenal's injury came in a game where Washington was already missing five regular starters to injury or illness, including quarterback Jayden Daniels, guard Sam Cosmi, and safety Nick Cross, according to Heavy Sports. Daniels was ruled out with a week-to-week elbow injury, pushing veteran Marcus Mariota into the starting lineup for the contest.
From Kansas City Champion to Washington Free Agent
Chenal was selected by Kansas City in the third round, 103rd overall, of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin, and he accumulated 218 tackles, seven sacks, and three forced fumbles across 64 regular-season games with the Chiefs, according to Pro-Football-Reference. He earned two Super Bowl rings and made five postseason starts during his four years in Kansas City, and he posted the highest player grade among all Kansas City defenders in Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024, per KC Sports Network, after forcing a first-quarter fumble by Christian McCaffrey that helped set up the Chiefs' win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Washington signed Chenal to a three-year free-agent contract in March 2026 after he hit free agency for the first time following his rookie deal, per Yardbarker. The move was part of a larger rebuild under general manager Adam Peters, who spent nearly $260 million across 21 free-agent contracts to bring younger, high-testing athletes to Washington's defense, according to Heavy Sports. Chenal himself posted a 9.99 Relative Athletic Score out of 10 during his 2022 Combine testing, ranking third among 2,406 linebacker prospects evaluated since 1987, per the same report.
As of Sunday, Washington had only confirmed that Chenal suffered a neck injury and is out for the remainder of the game against Seattle. No further medical update on his status had been reported.
