The Philadelphia Eagles just lost a key piece of their defense to injury in Saturday night’s Week 16 game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md.
Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean left the field amid the team’s second defensive drive of the contest with an apparent lower-body injury. Philadelphia initially labeled him questionable to return with a hamstring issue before announcing that he would be done for the rest of the evening.
Dean concluded his night with a total of 2 tackles (1 solo), as he leaves the rest of Philadelphia’s stop unit to weather Washington’s attack.
Losing Dean is a big blow for the Eagles, considering what he’s capable of when healthy. He entered Week 16 with a 92.3 pass rush grade, good for second-best overall in the league among 88 linebackers.
The former Georgia Bulldogs star had a delayed start to his 2025 season, as he missed the Eagles’ first five games, as he recovered from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee that he suffered in a playoff game against the Green Bay Packers in a 2025 NFL playoff game against the Green Bay Packers.
The Eagles can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Washington, though they will still have to hope for the best regarding Dean’s status.
