There was a lot to celebrate in the Philadelphia Eagles' 29-18 win over the Washington Commanders in Week 16 as they won the NFC East division title, but they took a massive hit on the roster.
During the game, Eagles' emerging star linebacker Nakobe Dean went down with a hamstring injury and was knocked out for the rest of the contest. Eagles fans were worried, given Dean's history of injuries, including his most recent knee injury in the NFC Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers last year, which cost him the rest of the postseason and nearly half of the 2025 regular season.
All indications have been that it isn't too serious an injury, and Dean himself confirmed that. While hosting a toy drive in Cherry Hill, Eagles fans asked him how he was doing, and he told them he was "just fine" and that the hamstring was only a tweak.
Eagles fans hearing good news from Dean as it is much needed
Since returning from his knee injury this season, Dean has been a force with Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio using him mostly on blitzes in passing situations. Dena has racked up 55 tackles, seven tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and one pass deflection in 10 games.
Rookie first-round pick Jihaad Campbell was starting in Dean's place at the beginning of the season. After Dean's emergence, Campbell has taken a back seat, with snaps on defense and more work on special teams.
Philly will have a big decision to make about Dean, given his history with lower-leg injuries. The Eagles have to keep in mind that they have the division title in hand, and it appears the best they can finish this season is the second seed in the NFC. Would it be worth the risk to put Dean out there to move up from their current third seed one spot?
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Knowing Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni's history with how he handles the team late in the season, don't be surprised if Dean has a reduced snap count or might not even play in the last two games of the season to protect him from further injury. After the kind of season Dean is having, Eagles fans might be okay with the linebacker being cautious and sitting out.