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Ex-UW star Leo Chenal lost for rest of NFL season with neck injury
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- Ex-UW star Leo Chenal lost for rest of NFL season with neck injury
Wisconsinite and former Wisconsin Badgers football star Leo Chenal , who was carted off the field Sunday, Sept. 27, during his Washington Commanders game against the Seattle Seahawks , underwent season-ending neck surgery a day later and saw his first season with his new team come to a premature end.
Chenal, who played four years in Kansas City and won Super Bowls in each of his first two years in the league, signed a three-year deal with Washington worth nearly $25 million in the offseason.
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The Grantsburg High School alumnus and standout linebacker for the Badgers played in 65 games and started 44 with Kansas City over his four-year tenure.
Sep 27, 2026; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders linebacker Leo Chenal (54) is carted off the field by medical staff against the Seattle Seahawks in the first half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
But Chenal suffered an injury in the second quarter making a tackle against Seattle, and the crowd chanted "Leo, Leo" as Commanders teammates surrounded him. The game broadcast noted that Chenal had feeling in all extremities, and he's expected to make a full recovery.
Chenal posted to social media Sept. 28, "Surgery went well! Thank you all for all the love and support, you don't know how much it means seeing this much love everywhere."
He was off to a good start with Washington, recording 18 tackles (2.5 for loss) in his first two-plus games with Washington.
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Chenal was named Big Ten Linebacker of the Year in 2021 at Wisconsin , and the Chiefs drafted him in the third round (103rd overall pick) in 2022.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ex-UW star Leo Chenal lost for rest of NFL season with neck injury
