Philadelphia Eagles: Arguments for keeping Alshon Jeffery in 2020
By John Newman
3. Despite the injuries, we know he’s tough.
Some fans forget just how banged up Jeffery has been since he arrived in 2017. According to Sports Injury Predictor, Jeffery has had 12 listed injuries in their database from 2012 to 2018. The most notable of these injuries happened during training camp in 2017, Jeffery’s first season in Philly. He injured his right rotator cuff before the preseason, and rather than having surgery right away, Jeffery played the entire Super Bowl-winning season.
It’s reasonable to assume that, had Jeffery had surgery that summer, the Eagles wouldn’t have won Super Bowl 52. They did, as you know, and afterward, Jeffery did undergo surgery. That kept him out of action until Week 4 of the 2018 season. That’s nearly a six month recovery period. Knowing all of this makes his catch in Super Bowl 52 even more impressive.
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Jeffery put the team over his own physical needs, and as a result, he helped Philly win a Super Bowl. Jeffery’s currently recovering from a Lisfranc injury he sustained in 2019. He’ll need extensive treatment and rehabilitation to recover. Would it be fair to Jeffery to deny him team resources, when he is at his lowest point? Sure, he has made millions of dollars in the NFL and can afford to take care of the treatment on his own, but sometimes. it’s the principle that’s important.
Decisions can cause an echo of consequences. Modern examples of similar situations exist. Just look at what happened with the New York Jets and guard Kelechi Osemele in 2019.
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After being injured, team doctors said he could play through the pain. Independent doctors told Osemele he needed surgery immediately. The Jets organization punished Osemele by fining him and eventually canceling his contract for having the audacity to seek medical treatment.
The Washington Redskins‘ handling (or mishandling) of left tackle Trent Williams is another example, and Washington’s earned an unenviable reputation and unfavorable press clippings for the way they withheld a Williams’ money over medical concerns.
Now, think about the Eagles. They already have a bad reputation for having a less-than-stellar medical department. The last thing that they need is for players to have another reason to be wary of joining the team.