Nigel Bradham will play for the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday's season opener against the Washington Redskins, head coach Doug Pederson confirmed in his Friday press conference.
Bradham skipped the Eagles' final preseason game last week as the team thought he went AWOL, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer report. The Eagles starting linebacker didn't contact the team regarding his disappearance, telling them he was sick when a member of the coaching staff called him.
Bradham declined a ride from the Eagles, who offered to send a car to Philadelphia and pick him up. Bradham didn't want to travel on an upset stomach.
"I trust Nigel," Pederson said. "He and I had a great conversation. We...uhhh...quite frankly, it's behind us. I'll just tell you this, we had a very, very, without getting into detail because I'm not going to, great conversation Monday. He's focused on the Redskins just like I am and we put it behind us."
Pederson said the decision not to suspend him was an "internal issue."
The Eagles didn't have any knowledge of Bradham not feeling well prior to his absence. Bradham, who wasn't going to play in the preseason finale, attended meetings and the team walk-through the day prior, making the absence even more bizarre.
"I was actually supposed to travel but after walkthroughs and stuff I guess I ate something that didn't settle well in my stomach," Bradham said after practice Thursday, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. "So it just wasn't going to work to take that ride.
"I wasn't feeling well, so obviously I wasn't really concerned with the phone and trying to reach out. That's all it was."
Bradham, who has been limited all of training camp and the preseason rehabbing from a foot injury he suffered in the Eagles' playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints in January, is not listed on the team's injury report and his expected to start Sunday. Zach Brown will be the team's outside linebacker as Bradham will play the middle.
The Eagles aren't thin at linebacker in the wake of Kamu Grugier-Hill's MCL injury that is expected to keep him out a few weeks, but revamped the position in the offseason. Brown, L.J. Fort, and T.J. Edwards are the new acquisitions to the linebacker group that includes Bradham, Grugier-Hill and Nate Gerry returning from last year.
If Bradham was suspended for Sunday's game, the Eagles would have just four active linebackers versus the Redskins -- not exactly an ideal situation.
"Real comfortable and confident with the guys we have," Pederson said. "Obviously we'll get Kamu (Grugier-Hill) back soon and we'll be at full strength again."
