‘It’s Been Forever!’ Eagles activate Avonte Maddox from IR
Avonte Maddox, a cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles, had surgery to repair a ruptured pec, and was expected to miss the entire season. However, he was cleared to play in Week 17’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
PHILADELPHIA – After his surgery in late September, all Avonte Maddox could do was sit on his couch and be depressed. After a toe repair procedure following the Super Bowl in February, this was his second surgery of the year.
When asked about his mental health after surgery in September to repair a torn pectoral muscle sustained in Week 2, Maddox replied, “That was the tough part.” “The hardest part of it emotionally was that I had surgery right after the Super Bowl and again the second week of the season.”
The cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles made a strong recovery effort, as seen by his activation from injured reserve on Saturday. He will now be available to participate in Sunday’s Week 17 game at Lincoln Financial Field against the Arizona Cardinals.
When the squad resumed practice this week after a 21-day break, he declared, “It feels great.” “It seems like ages ago, but I put a lot of effort into getting to this point today.”
The Eagles placed tight end Albert Okwuegbunam on injured reserve due to a hamstring ailment in order to make room on the roster.
After Maddox was injured, the Eagles rotated through more than six players in an attempt to fill the slot cornerback position.
According to Maddox, “the slot is a hard position.” “There’s a lot of accountability. You need to speak up, be confident in your abilities, and be outspoken. You can’t blame anyone for being placed there because it’s not easy—I know it’s not easy—especially the younger guys who are trying to learn it. They seem to be trying their hardest, and I would attempt to lend a hand however I could.
Bradley Roby was brought to Philly in October but got hurt after two games and missed a month. Roby is healthy now and playing well so Maddox only fortifies the position while one or both could be used on the outside if the need arises.
Either way, Maddox’s return should help a defense that has been a shell of what it was a season ago when it finished second overall.
He said he believed he could return about halfway through the season.
“Probably like a month ago I felt like was getting stronger,” he said. “It was kind of moving slow at the beginning because you’re always in a sling, but after that, I felt like I could move.
“It was supposed to be season-ending, and it takes a long time to heal, but we all have different bodies, and we all heal differently. I figure I heal pretty fast and I’m a guy (whose) pain tolerance is pretty higher than normal because I was playing on turf toe last year and needed surgery but still played.”
In just 84 snaps before his injury, Maddox made eight tackles, with five solo stops, and was credited with two passes defended and a forced fumble.
“It’ll be the best feeling in the world,” said Maddox when asked how it would feel to return. “I love playing the game, I respect the game, and I love playing with those guys.
I would much rather be anywhere else than on the field, so whenever I get to return, I’ll be eager to have even more fun and will always have a big smile on my face.
