Philadelphia Eagles: 6 Devastating Injuries over the Last Decade

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Injuries are a part of the game.  It's inevitable.  No one ever wants to see a player get injured, as it affects both the team and their life.  As they say, though, you have to roll with the punches.

As Eagles fans, we see members of the team go down each year.  Sometimes it's for a short period of time, and sometimes it can be for longer.  In certain situations, a player can be removed from the game they love permanently. 

It's a sad situation, but it's part of the risk of playing football and one of the reasons professionals make the amount of money they do.

No one wants to see those devastating injuries take place, but it's all a part of the game.

6. Terrell Owens, 2004

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Although things may have not turned out so bad, you have to admit that your heart sank when Owens went down late in the season.  At the time, the Eagles looked like serious contenders, as the playoffs were right around the corner.

The Eagles lacked a true No. 1 receiver for Donovan McNabb to throw to, but he showed that he could make due without one.  When he finally got a star, he showed just how good he could really be. 

Owens was far more talented than any other receiver on the Eagles roster, but he still couldn't be stopped.  The team knew they would be without him in the playoffs, the time where your season can be ended in a single game.

Of course, we know the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl that season and Owens returned for it.  However, there was no denying the devastation fans felt when the injury was first announced.

5. The 2005 Season

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Heading into the 2005 season, the Eagles already had a bad taste in their mouth.  They had made it to four consecutive NFC Championship games, and finally jumped that hurdle to make it into the Super Bowl the year before.

The team failed to get it done in the big game, but they still had a lot of promise heading into 2005.  Fans were left with the "maybe next year" mentality, but 2005 seemed like a realistic opportunity.

This opportunity faded quickly as the Eagles imploded.  One of the key factors fueling this implosion was the rash of injuries the team faced.

The offense felt the injury bug the worst as Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Correll Buckhalter, Tra Thomas, Hank Fraley, and Todd Pinkston were injured.  Defensively, Lito Sheppard missed six games.

Even the special teams struggled to stay healthy, as David Akers and Dirk Johnson suffered injuries.

The season was a complete bust as the Eagles finished 6-10.

4. Stewart Bradley, 2010

After missing the 2009 season with a torn ACL, it didn't take Bradley very long to end up injured again. 

In the Eagles opening game against the Packers, Bradley suffered a concussion that was very hard to watch.  Often, it's hard to watch the hit players take in order to sustain their concussion.  However, in Bradley's case, it was harder to watch the aftermath.

After taking his blow to the head, Bradley literally did not know where he was.  He tried to take himself back to the sideline, but could not stand under his own power.  It was quite scary to see an athlete of Bradley's build in that state of mind.

Despite the blow, he would return later in the season and continue to play.  However, it wouldn't be the only scary injury he would suffer during the 2010 season.

In a December meeting with the Cowboys, Bradley hopped a defender, landing with his arm under his body.  His elbow twisted gruesomely and bent the way the human elbow isn't supposed to bend.

Although indications were that he'd return in the playoffs, the injury ended Bradley's season.

3. DeSean Jackson, 2010

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Although there were worries entering the game about whether Kevin Kolb could get the job done against a talented Falcons team, worries quickly changed to the health of DeSean Jackson.

In the year where helmet-to-helmet hits became a big concern in the league, Jackson was part of the week where they really were in the spotlight.

While running across the field, Kolb threw a pass to Jackson.  As he started to bring in the reception, Jackson was met by a charging Dunta Robinson.

The blow that Jackson sustained was devastating, as he lay motionless on the ground for sometime after being hit. Jackson was helped off the field and forced out of the game.

He would go on to only miss one game due to a conveniently placed bye week, but the hit is still hard to watch.

2. Brian Dawkins, 2007

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If you're an Eagles fan, you know how much fear Dawkins instilled in opposing teams.  He was known for being a violent hitter and left everything he had on the field.

These traits backfired for a hit he laid during the 2007 season against the Redskins.

As Dawkins put a big blow on a Redskins player, he jammed his neck and laid motionless on the field. 

What we would later find out in a documentary was the fact that Dawkins laid there crying due to the excruciating pain he was in.

This was really hard to watch as no one expects something like that to come out of a warrior like Dawkins.  He's a Philadelphia legend, and it really hurt to see him that way.

Again, we see the risk that football players put themselves in, and the neck injury has continued to bother Dawkins throughout his career.

1. Leonard Weaver, 2010

Coming off an All-Pro season in 2009, everyone expected big things out of Weaver in 2010.  In attending Training Camp in 2010, Weaver stuck out to me.  He looked very good in camp, and I thought he may top the tremendous season he had the year prior.

Weaver's opportunity was cut short due to a gruesome knee injury that he sustained in the Eagles opening game against the Packers.  Carrying the ball up the middle, Weaver took a hit that made his knee bend way back in the direction it's not intended to bend.

Everyone could see that Weaver was in agonizing pain on the field, and it wasn't very hard to see why after watching the replay.  The hit completely tore up his knee and ended his season.

Sadly, the injury may very well have ended Weaver's career as an NFL player.