Here Are All the Key Players the Eagles Lost for the Season in 2017

Photo: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Yes, yes, we know: Every NFL team is a troupe of walking wounded by the end of a season. But it sure felt like no other team lost more key contributors to the injury bug than our 2017 Eagles, the first number one seed since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970 to enter the divisional round of the playoffs as an underdog.

Sept. 10th

Placekicker Caleb Sturgis tears his hip flexor on the season’s opening kickoff.

Replacement: Jake Elliott, a guy cut by the Bengals.

Sept. 13th

Donnel Pumphrey, the running back the Birds selected to eventually replace Darren Sproles, tears a hamstring in practice.

Replacement: Corey Clement, an undrafted rookie.

Sept. 24th

Darren Sproles tears his ACL and breaks his right forearm on the same devastating play.

Replacement: The suddenly upwardly mobile Clement.

Oct. 12th

Special teams captain Chris Maragos hits the IR with a right knee injury.

Replacement: The man, the myth: Nate Gerry.

Oct. 23rd

Starting middle linebacker Jordan Hicks tears his right Achilles tendon, and future Hall of Fame left tackle Jason Peters tears his right ACL and MCL.

Replacements: The distinguished duo of Joe Walker and Dannell Ellerbe at linebacker; second-year project Halapoulivaati Vaitai at tackle.

Dec. 10th

MVP favorite and sainthood candidate Carson Wentz tears his ACL and LCL, sending the region into an existential spiral.

Replacement: Once-and-future starter Nick Foles, who was, uh, rusty.

» See also: 14 Reasons Philly Is, Always Was, and Always Will Be an Eagles Town

Published as a part of “Remember That Time We Won the Super Bowl?” in the September 2018 issue of Philadelphia magazine.