PHILADELPHIA -- There aren't many players more respected in the Philadelphia Eagles locker room than Nakobe Dean. When the linebacker got carted off the field with a knee injury against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC wild-card round, his teammates could only rally for him -- knowing all Dean has been through.
"He's been our leader for the whole year, just commanding accountability from the top down," Eagles linebacker Oren Burks said. "We're gonna miss him, don't know what the situation is, but again, next man up."
On Monday, we got confirmation that the situation isn't good at all. Dean suffered a torn patellar tendon in his knee and will miss the remainder of the Eagles' season, according to NFL Media.
Dean has been through hell and back throughout his three years in the NFL, trying to make it as a starting linebacker in this league. Everything came together for Dean once defensive coordinator Vic Fangio installed him as a starter, as he finished with 128 tackles, three sacks, four passes defensed and an interception -- playing well enough to garner two All-Pro votes.
"It's a tremendous loss," Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson said. "He's a guy that came in and battled. Last year was a learning year for him and he took full advantage of it. He became a key leader of the defense ... as a teammate, he's one of the best teammates we have."
Even with Dean now done for the year, the Eagles defense proved they are equipped to handle not having him on the field. However, that doesn't mean his presence won't be missed.
"It hurt. It hurt my heart," said Eagles pass rusher Nolan Smith, who was a college teammate of Dean's at Georgia. "As soon as I walked in here, seeing him in here, I prayed. Then I was the first one there. I tried to help him up. He said 'No.' I immediately closed my eyes and prayed right there."
How much of an impact does Dean have on the Eagles locker room? Jalen Hurts did some self reflecting during the two weeks he was in the concussion protocol and noticed how strong the bond between the Georgia players are on that Eagles defense -- evident as Dean had to go off the field on a cart.
"I think that that's had a great influence on our defense, because there's always a confidence, there's always an intensity there and swagger about themselves," Hurts said. "I think that feeds through the whole defense, and I think it's very similar to all the guys that come from Alabama and the SEC and that have seen each other and played alongside one another, or watch guys play in that conference or in college.
"But I think he's [Dean] a pivotal piece to our defense and he'll be missed. I'm praying for a speedy recovery."
Smith and Dean were college roommates at Georgia. He recruited him to Georgia and they starred for the Bulldogs, continuing that success in the NFL. Everything was coming full circle for the two during Sunday's game, as Smith led the Eagles with two sacks while Dean was leading the team with six tackles before he departed.
"To a lot of people it's a game, this is a game to them, this is just, 'Oh, it's just football,' but this is our livelihood," an emotional Smith said. "I know me and him leave it on the field, and we were talking about it. This is another time we're in the playoffs together ... two country boys, trying to make our way. It hurt my heart."
The Eagles know how important Dean impacts this roster, not just on the field but off it.
"He works so hard, and his determination," Smith said. "He's one of those guys I just feel like I can lean on and ask for anything and he'll give me the clothes off his back, the food off his plate."
