Eagles center Cam Jurgens underwent surgery to repair injury he played through in Super Bowl run
The 25-year-old is expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp in July, according to a source.
Cam Jurgens underwent back surgery earlier this week to address an injury he played through during the Eagles’ postseason run, according to league sources.
ESPN was first to report the news.
The 25-year-old center had the procedure to alleviate nerve pain and is expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp in July.
Jurgens played through significant pain coming off the bench in the NFC championship game and returning to the starting lineup for the team’s Super Bowl victory. In the former, he pushed to be available as a reserve after a lengthy pregame warmup process, which ended with the Eagles brain trust deciding he wasn’t healthy enough to start.
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The Eagles did, in fact, need him in the second half of their 55-23 win over the Washington Commanders after Landon Dickerson suffered a knee injury filling in for Jurgens at center. Jurgens played well despite the diagnosis.
“These guys are playing through pain,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said after the game. “I just can’t say enough about how much I respect these guys of what they have to do with their bodies. I don’t think anyone knows the half of it, what they have to do to play the long season.”
Quarterback Jalen Hurts added: “That was really gritty of him.”
A second-round pick out of Nebraska drafted as the heir apparent to Jason Kelce, Jurgens was up to the task of replacing the Eagles legend in his first season starting at center. He was named to the Pro Bowl and played an instrumental role in the Eagles’ historic run game, often using his athleticism to get to the second level of the defense in a way reminiscent of Kelce to free Saquon Barkley.
“It’s big shoes to step into,” Jurgens said. “Whenever you go into the situation like that, and you think, ‘I need to fill this guy’s shoes, I need to be like Kelce, I need to do this,’ you’re going to fail. I don’t think anybody can succeed. I always look at it like I need to be the best person I can be. I need to fill my own shoes. I’m a damn good player and I just got to learn from my coaches, guys around me, and I just got to get better.”
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Aside from recovering from surgery, Jurgens’ offseason may also include a contract extension considering he’s entering the final year of his rookie deal. The Eagles have a track record of signing homegrown players early rather than waiting for the market to rise and are one year removed from signing DeVonta Smith and Landon Dickerson to long-term extensions off their rookie contracts shortly after they became eligible to do so.
Jurgens has a cap hit of $5.8 million for next season, although that could change with an extension. Entering free agency, Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey tops the center market with an annual salary of $18 million, with a cluster of players sitting around $12 million annually filling out the rest of the top five.
Staff writer Jeff McLane contributed reporting.