Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean suffered a left knee injury during Sunday’s wild-card game against the Green Bay Packers, leaving his playoff availability in doubt.
Dean was spotted on crutches with his left leg in a brace following the Eagles’ 22-10 victory, which secured their spot in the divisional round. While head coach Nick Sirianni did not provide an update on Dean’s condition postgame, his teammates acknowledged the impact of potentially losing one of their key defensive players.
“We’re definitely playing for him,” said Oren Burks, who stepped into Dean’s role on defense after forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff. “It’s tough, but we’re a next-man-up team.”
Dean exited the game in the second quarter, was taken off the field on a cart, and was ruled out shortly afterward.
Update
The Philadelphia Eagles are aiming to take down the Green Bay Packers in the wild card round of the 2025 NFL playoffs, but they could face the challenge without one of their defensive standouts.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean sustained a knee injury during the second quarter of the matchup. The incident occurred when Dean tackled tight end Tucker Kraft for a three-yard loss on a screen pass.
After the play, Dean remained on the ground as the Eagles’ medical staff attended to him. He needed help leaving the field and struggled to put weight on his injured knee, limping off cautiously.
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Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean exited Sunday’s 22-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the second quarter after sustaining a knee injury.
Dean had to be helped off the field and was later carted to the locker room. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game, and early indications suggest he could be sidelined for at least several weeks.
After the game, Nakobe Dean was spotted on crutches with a large brace covering his injured leg. While his teammates expressed their hopes for a positive outcome, their tone suggested tempered optimism about his return in the near future.
“It broke my heart,” said edge rusher Nolan Smith, who played alongside Dean at Georgia. “When I walked into the locker room and saw him, I prayed right away. On the field, I was the first one there trying to help him up, but he told me, ‘No.'”