Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler is a model of determination and what happens when hard work meets opportunity

ASHBURN, Va. — How does a kid like Austin Ekeler, who grew up a fan of professional bass fishing and bull riding, become a star running back with the Los Angeles Chargers organization and a key member of the rapid retooling happening with the Washington Commanders?

“[It is a] long story, but same kind of mentality throughout the story,” the Commanders running back told WUSA9’s Chick Hernandez. “A lot of continuing to take advantage of the opportunity at hand. Really focusing, hyper-focusing on what I had because I knew that was going to lead to what was to come next. And so for me, going into high school it was, ‘Hey, this is my opportunity.’ Going into college, [I] didn't even think about going to the pros, [I] thought about using my education to go get into the real world.”

It is easy to forget getting to watch Ekeler at this point of his NFL career, but it was that determination to succeed in the moment and capitalize on opportunities that not only got him to the league but made him a sought-after addition to the new-look roster we see in Washington today.

Undrafted out of Western Colorado University in 2017 Ekeler was signed by the Chargers and made quick work of his opportunity, appearing in all 16 regular season games that year. He got his first NFL start the following year and got his first taste of playoff football.

By the 2019 season, not only was Ekeler an important part of the Chargers offense, but he was starting half their games and gaining more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage.

To say he knows a thing or two about creating something out of nothing would be an understatement. It helps to explain the amount of self-confidence he carries with him on a daily basis.

That confidence is pretty common these days around the Commanders roster, something that hasn’t always been there. That has grown largely from the addition of players like Ekeler who come from other winning environments and also the early success of rookies like quarterback Jayden Daniels.

“Jayden being the spark of that [offensive success] also gives us a lot of versatility,” Ekeler says. “But not only that, we have players that are making plays all over the place. That's something that we thought coming in, ‘Hey, we got a lot of players that we’re bringing in the leaders from all over the place to come in and make plays and now it's actually starting to come alive and throw Jayden in the mix as well.”

Ekeler also says the offense, and the team as a whole, is still a work in progress and there’s even more room to grow.

With leaders in the locker room who preach and practice continued determination and maximizing every opportunity, there won’t be an opponent too big for Washington to handle, and no growth point it can’t reach.

That next challenge is a big one, a divisional matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles who currently sit just ahead of the Commanders in first place in the NFC East.

Ekeler and his teammates travel north to face this next challenge which will take place Thursday night inside Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.