Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean has been ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs after suffering a knee injury during the team’s wild-card round victory against the Green Bay Packers, head coach Nick Sirianni confirmed on Monday. Reports from NFL Network revealed that Dean tore his patellar tendon, a significant setback for the Eagles’ defense.
“He’s going to be out, and we’ll sure miss him,” Sirianni said. “He’s made big plays all year long. Everyone remembers the interception against Jacksonville to seal the game, but even in yesterday’s game, he had some outstanding plays that set the tone for how physical we were going to play.”
Dean’s injury occurred in the first half of Sunday’s game, during which he had already made an impact with six tackles, including two for a loss. After his exit, special teams standout Oren Burks stepped in to fill the void. Burks, who had already forced a fumble on the opening kickoff, contributed five tackles in Dean’s absence and helped the Eagles maintain their defensive intensity.
Despite the unfortunate injury, Dean shared a hopeful message on his Instagram story: “Ima be back better than ever. God got me. But for [right now], job not finished! We got more business to handle. #GoBirds.”
Dean, a third-year player out of Georgia, had a breakout season for Philadelphia. Selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, he became a key contributor to the Eagles’ defense in 2024, recording career-high numbers with 128 tackles, three sacks, and one interception. His performance ranked him second on the team in tackles.
After spending most of his rookie year on special teams during Philadelphia’s Super Bowl run and battling injuries in his second season, Dean made significant strides this year. He played a career-high 858 defensive snaps, a massive jump from the 182 snaps he logged in his previous two seasons. As the defensive leader, Dean also wore the “green dot,” signaling his role in calling plays for the Eagles’ defense. That responsibility now falls to All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun, who took over the play-calling duties after Dean left Sunday’s game.
Dean’s teammates expressed their heartbreak over the injury, particularly edge rusher Nolan Smith, who played alongside him at Georgia. “It hurt. It hurt my heart,” Smith said. “As soon as I saw him, I prayed. I was the first one there to try to help him up, but he said, ‘No.’ I closed my eyes and prayed right there.”
Dean’s absence is a significant loss for the Eagles as they continue their playoff push, but the team remains focused on the goal ahead: a Super Bowl championship.
