Dorance Armstrong is set to be back on the field Sunday, and the timing gives the Washington Commanders a familiar face in a familiar place. The former Kansas standout and current Washington outside linebacker returns from a one-game suspension when the Commanders meet NFC East rival Dallas, and the matchup will be his first action in almost a year.
“I’m blessed to be back in this position,” Armstrong said in an interview published by the Commanders on Sept. 17.
“I’m thankful for everything that I’ve been through. It’s been almost a year now, so yeah, I’m super excited.”
Armstrong’s path back has been a long one. He was suspended in August for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after he was arrested on two misdemeanor charges in Frisco, Texas, on May 10, 2025. He was reinstated on Monday, making him eligible to play Sunday.
The return also comes after a season-ending knee injury last Oct. 19. And the opponent adds another layer: Armstrong will line up against the Cowboys, the team that drafted him and the same one he was facing when his season ended in 2025.
Washington lists Armstrong as an outside linebacker now, though that is still a relatively new spot for him. He previously played defensive end, and the move to outside linebacker came this preseason after the Commanders adjusted their defensive scheme.
With Armstrong back, he slots in as Washington’s No. 2 left outside linebacker behind K’Lavon Chaisson and ahead of Javontae Jean-Baptiste. Before the injury, he started five of the seven games he played and posted 24 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
The Commanders still see him as more than just a depth piece. Head coach Dan Quinn said Armstrong gives the defense flexibility because he can work both inside and on the edge, and Quinn also pointed to Armstrong as a key part of the team’s game plan.
Armstrong’s football resume stretches back to Kansas, where he played from 2015-2017 and finished with 141 tackles, 15.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and four pass deflections. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors in 2016 and Second-Team All-Big 12 honors in 2017.
His third season in Lawrence was not his most productive, but it still led to the NFL, where Dallas selected him 116th overall in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Armstrong spent his first six seasons with the Cowboys before signing with Washington in 2024.
Across his NFL career, Armstrong has piled up 232 tackles, 34 sacks, five forced fumbles, five pass deflections, four fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown.
Sunday’s game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, also matters for Washington beyond Armstrong’s return, as the Commanders are still chasing their first win of the season. The game will air on FOX, with kickoff scheduled for 3:25 p.m. CDT.
In Other News...
Kansas Put Something On Display In London The NFL Never Could
College football made its debut at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, and it carried a very different feel from the NFLs usual London showcase. Kansas and Arizona State brought the full college experience with them, from marching bands and cheerleaders to school chants and the kind of sideline energy that gives the sport its own rhythm. For many of the local fans in attendance, it was a first look at how communal and personal the college game can feel.
The setting also underscored why this mattered beyond one afternoon in London. A crowd of 46,523 came out to see it, and the atmosphere made clear that college football can sell itself overseas without trying to mimic the pro game. For Kansas, being part of that first Wembley chapter was about more than just the matchup. It was an introduction, for a new audience, to the traditions that make the sport distinct. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Let A Winnable Game Slip For One Frustrating Reason
Week 3 in the Big 12 had its share of drama, from Texas Tech holding off Houston to West Virginia knocking off No. 25 Virginia, but Kansas came away from London with a result it will have to sit with for a while. The Jayhawks were in a game that felt there for the taking against Arizona State, only to watch it turn into one of those frustrating losses that leaves more questions than answers.
For Kansas, the most irritating part was how the game swung away from control at the wrong moments. Arizona State did enough to take advantage when the Jayhawks gave it openings, and in a matchup that never felt out of reach, those mistakes became the difference between a win and a letdown. [Read more 🡒]
Tyran Stokes Just Added More Buzz To His Kansas Debut
Tyran Stokes has hardly needed any extra introduction in Lawrence, but the freshman already is giving Kansas fans another reason to keep an eye on what he wears before he even settles into college basketball. The consensus No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class was recently spotted in a pair of Nike GT Force shoes, offering an early look at one of Nike Basketballs upcoming performance models.
The high-top design has not been officially released yet, which only adds to the intrigue around Stokes arrival and the attention he draws wherever he goes. His connection with Nike runs beyond simple product placement, and the sighting fits the broader pattern of top prospects becoming part of the companys NIL mix before they ever take a meaningful college minute. [Read more 🡒]