Eagles Linebacker Nakobe Dean Out for Playoffs with Knee Injury

Dean's torn patellar tendon ends his breakout season and leaves Philadelphia's defense without its signal-caller.

Nakobe Dean suffered a torn patellar tendon in his knee during the Eagles' wild-card win over the Green Bay Packers, ruling him out for the remainder of the playoffs.
The injury occurred in the second quarter as Dean tackled Packers tight end Tucker Kraft on a screen pass, and he was carted off the field shortly afterward.
Dean had a breakout 2024 season, recording 128 tackles, three sacks, an interception, and nine tackles for loss as a full-time starter and defensive leader.
Oren Burks replaced Dean on the field but had an inconsistent performance, while Zack Baun took over defensive play-calling responsibilities.
The Eagles, who will host the winner of the Rams-Vikings game in the divisional round, face a significant challenge with the loss of Dean's leadership and impact on defense.