For the first time in his career, wide receiver Terry McLaurin has been tested.

Sure, he's gone through a lot in his seven years with the Washington Commanders -- different quarterbacks, new head coaches and an entirely new ownership group at the helm. He's also challenged on the field every day by the Commanders' defense on the practice field or by opposing teams on Sundays.

But fighting through a long-term, nagging quad injury is a whole different battle than the ones McLaurin is used to. One that, he has learned, requires a renewed sense of self-confidence and mental fortitude to get through.

"Going through what I've gone through has allowed me to grow even more mentally and be able to withstand challenges and have the joy and gratitude to be like, 'You know what, I'm coming out the other side,'" McLaurin said following the Commanders' heartbreaking 27-26 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

McLaurin's quad injury initially occurred during the Commanders' Week 3 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, in which he was extending for the goal line on a 56-yard catch. Before the injury, McLaurin was limited to 10 catches for 149 yards. He missed the ensuing four games rehabbing and returned in time for the Commanders' road game against the Kansas City Chiefs. In the Week 8 loss, McLaurin had two pivotal plays – a toe-tap touchdown and a sideline catch – the second of which re-injured his quad, sidelining him for another three games.

In the weeks leading up to his primetime return against the Broncos, McLaurin continued to focus on getting right physically and supporting his teammates. He made the trip to Madrid for the Commanders' matchup against the Miami Dolphins to continue his rehab. Following the bye week, McLaurin was back on the practice field with the expectation that he would return against the Broncos.

​​"Yeah, I'm just extremely grateful to be back out here with my teammates," McLaurin said of his return. "I've been really supported by the group of guys in this locker room, my family, my friends, my faith has really grown during this time, and just learning to find joy and gratitude in tough circumstances.

"And I have confidence, no matter how much time I may miss, that I'll come out and try to give us a chance to win the game. But I just give the glory to God, because it was definitely a long journey."

Since arriving in Washington in 2019 as the 76th overall draft pick, McLaurin has been one of the team's most durable players. Ahead of this season, McLaurin had missed just three games due to injury over the past six seasons, all of which took place during his rookie year.

Despite missing a total of seven games this season, McLaurin stayed true to his word by defying a rep count to make a big play in overtime. McLaurin admitted after the game that he was supposed to be limited to 25 plays, however, with the game on the line in overtime, there was no way he was going to watch from the sidelines.

"Coming into this game, there was a rep count, but in my mind, I knew the game was close. I'm gonna spill it for my teammates. I mean, screw the rep count. So just to have the joy of the locker room guys supporting me, being out there is something I don't take for granted. So, I'm just extremely grateful to be back playing the game that I love with my teammates, and just thank God that I found out that I was healthy, and I want to continue to build more."

McLaurin was lined up against reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II on the outside for the all-or-nothing, game-deciding fourth-down play in overtime. After the ball was snapped to quarterback Marcus Mariota, McLaurin cut inside and crossed behind wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. The quick move drew Surtain away from McLaurin, allowing him to nab the three-yard touchdown pass to bring the Commanders within one of the Broncos.

"Yeah, that was just a man-combination that we feel comfortable with," McLaurin said. "I think Deebo did a great job just setting the run for me, and Marcus put it low and away. So just in case, the DB was on my back, then I can make a play. But that's a concept that we've run time and time again. And so, I knew they played man down there, and I was going to get an opportunity. So, shout out to Deebo for just doing his job and getting a great rub, and Marcus putting the ball low."

The touchdown put the Commanders in position to go for a two-point conversion to win the game. Although Mariota's pass was batted down by linebacker Nik Bonitto before a play could be made for the win, the quarterback still praised McLaurin for making clutch plays to get the Commanders in position to win.

"He's a special player the more that we can get him the rock," Mariota said of having McLaurin back on the field. "He's gonna make plays for us, and he made some big third down catches. He made an unbelievable catch to start the overtime to get us going. I mean, (he's) an unbelievable player and we're fortunate to have him."

Because of his reputation as a clutch receiver, even when McLaurin isn't the intended target, he draws defenders to him. In attracting the attention of the secondary, the middle of the field opens up for the tight ends and gives the quarterback more pass options on the play. It's something the Commanders' offense missed while McLaurin was sidelined, and an advantage they used against the Broncos.

"You can just see the type of attention he gets, and how much more space there is in the middle of the field with a guy like Terry out there," said tight end Zach Ertz, whose 816th career catch surpassed Shannon Sharpe for fifth on the all-time receptions list by a tight end. "And then just his playmaking ability. It doesn't matter who's guarding him, he makes plays. And so, I love that we have him back out there. His game speaks for itself."

Sitting at 3-9 and third in the NFC East isn't exactly what McLaurin had envisioned for his team. He also certainly didn't imagine he would miss as much time as he did, however, McLaurin still believes in himself and his team. The mental toughness he learned coming back from injury has helped him stay positive throughout the team's seven-game losing streak. McLaurin and the Commanders will look to break the skid and earn a win Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

"I think as men in the locker room, we have a lot of pride in what we do," McLaurin said. "And in the face of adversity, when things don't go your way, it's a testament to who you are, how you still show up to work. And I know we have a group that's going to continue to show up to work each and every day, have fun, and find a way to get a win. That's what it's all about. So, no matter what the record is, we're going to come back, try to be better next week, and stay resilient.

"Because it's not just football, it's life. Things are not gonna go your way. It's not gonna go out of your plan. Are you gonna just sit down and feel sorry for yourself? Or are you gonna put your head down? And eventually that rock will crack when you put an effort out there like that, and weeks of practice. So we just got to find a way to finish it, so we come out on the other side."