EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Washington Commanders had plenty of supporters rooting them on during their 14-7 loss in Week 7 to the New York Giants.
Arguably, however, none of them was more invested than safety Jeremy Reaves who was watching his Commanders struggle their way through a fourth loss of the year while he was back home dealing with an injury that landed him on injured reserve.
And now, as Reaves announced Sunday night, that knee injury is going to cost him the remainder of the season.
“Reflection is everything…One thing I’ve learned throughout my journey is that the mountain has two sides to it. Reaching the top of one just means there’s another climb to a higher peak,” Reaves said in a social media posting. “Tomorrow morning I’ll be having surgery and this year will sadly be cut short for me, but through this I am grateful! The Lord has blessed me with an unbelievable support system, teammates, and a drive to keep going even after failure! One thing about me, I’ve had to climb more than I’ve had moments at the top of the mountain. So this ain’t nothing new!”
Reaves also thanked fans who continue to support him while he’s dealt with the injury and during his ascension as one of the favorite players on the roster.
Originally entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent Reaves prides himself on being a player who has earned every second of time he’s been on the football field.
That time spent culminated last season with his becoming a special teams Pro Bowl selection and First-Team All-Pro, both firsts in his career.
And he notched another first this season after being voted by his teammates as a team captain.
Reaves also spent part of Friday evening emploring fans to be more supportive and less critical of his Washington teammates despite the latest disappointing loss.
“Negative reactions to everything don’t create positive reactions,” Reaves said in response to criticism. “Just doesn’t work like that.”
With Reaves’ season unofficially but effectively over he’ll now begin the long process of rehabilitation in hopes of returning to the NFL field in 2024.
However, with just a one-year deal coming into the season, his next may not be spent with the Commanders depending on several factors including how the rest of this season unfolds.
A 3-4 start doesn’t bode well for anyone’s future with Washington, and with the 6-1 Philadelphia Eagles coming in next weekend three straight NFC East Divisional losses and a 3-5 record midway through the year could mean more than just Reaves’ season is ending.
