Commanders Place CB Ahkello Witherspoon on Reserve/Retired List

Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon informed the Washington Commanders of his retirement Tuesday morning following two broken scapula injuries in 2025.

Ahkello Witherspoon, a 31-year-old cornerback, informed the Washington Commanders of his intention to step away from football on Tuesday morning, August 4, 2026. The organization responded by placing the veteran defender on the reserve/retired list at 9:06 AM ET. This roster move follows a 2025 campaign where Witherspoon suffered a broken scapula on two separate occasions while playing for the Los Angeles Rams. His final placement on injured reserve occurred immediately following the conclusion of the wild-card playoff round.

Roster Replacement and Draft History

To fill the vacancy created by the retirement, Washington signed veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau. This transaction marks a return to Ashburn for Moreau, who spent his initial four professional seasons with the Commanders after the franchise selected him in the 2017 NFL Draft. Witherspoon had only joined the Commanders during this most recent offseason before deciding to end his playing career.

Witherspoon entered the league as a third-round selection by the San Francisco 49ers in 2017. His career spanned nine years across four different franchises. He spent his first four seasons in San Francisco before moving to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a two-year tenure. The cornerback then transitioned to the Rams, where he played for three seasons prior to his brief signing with Washington.

Injury History and Final Season Stats

The 2025 season proved physically taxing for the veteran, as he endured two distinct stints on the injured reserve list. Both designations were the result of a fractured scapula. Despite these injuries, he remained on the Rams' active roster through their postseason appearance before the second injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year.

John Keim, who has covered the Washington franchise since 1994 for various outlets including the Journal Newspapers and the Washington Examiner, reported the news via ESPN. Keim, an author of four books and host of 'The John Keim Report' on ESPN Richmond radio, confirmed the details through a team source in Ashburn, Virginia.

Career Path Across the NFL

Witherspoon’s retirement concludes a journey that saw him play for both NFC West rivals, the 49ers and the Rams, as well as the AFC North's Steelers. His career began as a high-round draft pick nine years ago, eventually leading to his final professional contract with the Commanders this offseason. The move to the retired list effectively ends his tenure in Washington before he appeared in a regular-season game for the club.

Fabian Moreau now rejoins the defensive backfield where his career started nearly a decade ago. The Commanders' secondary depth chart shifts immediately with these Tuesday morning transactions, swapping the 31-year-old Witherspoon for a player familiar with the organization's structure from his 2017 to 2020 stint. No further details regarding the specific timing of the retirement were provided beyond the Tuesday morning notification to team officials.