There was bad news. It was quickly overshadowed by good news.
Eagles backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld has a broken wrist and will be sidelined for a while.
But he knows it could have been a lot worse.
I’m really excited that it’s not a long-term injury,” Sudfeld said after practice Saturday. “Thank God it’s not my right (throwing) hand, because you never know what complications could come with using it and throwing every play. If I could pick an injury it would probably be my left wrist or something like that, so I’m very thankful and trying to see the silver lining.
Sudfeld broke his wrist during the Eagles’ preseason game against the Titans Thursday night, underwent surgery Friday morning and was already talking Saturday morning about getting back to work.
He said a plate and some screws were inserted into his wrist during the procedure Friday.
Sudfeld got hurt with 26 seconds left in the first half when he was hit late by Titans defensive tackle Isaiah Mack and instinctively stuck his hand out before he hit the ground to brace himself.
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He knew immediately that there was something seriously wrong.
It felt a little weird,” he said. “My hand was a little numb. I was moving my fingers and the break was right under my wristband, so I stood there for a second and I was moving my fingers and I looked down and my wristband was kind of crooked and I was like, ergggghhhh, that’s probably not good, so I just ran off the field. I knew pretty quickly, but I was fortunate I was able to get surgery early the next morning and I feel good that it’s back in place and I’m on the road to recovery.
Sudfeld is expected to miss somewhere around six to eight weeks, so he should be back about a month into the regular season.
Of course, Sudfeld’s injury is especially significant because Carson Wentz has suffered season-ending injuries in each of the last two seasons.
If Wentz stays healthy, this injury will be quickly forgotten.
Sudfeld played well before he got hurt, going 10 for 18 for 177 yards and a 75-yard TD pass to Marken Michel.
It’s definitely disappointing because I felt like I was getting into a rhythm and I was doing a lot of things I wanted to do and I felt like as a team we were getting better and the offense, we were putting some plays together,” he said. “You play football to play in those games. You’re not doing it to practice all year, even though I do like that. So that is disappointing, but all things considered I’m really fortunate and blessed it was only a left wrist and surgery is done. I’m fixed but I’m not healed.
Sudfeld said he can’t do much of anything for a week to make sure the surgery wound heals.
But as soon as he gets the green light, he’ll start working out so he’s ready to go as soon as he’s cleared.
“I’m hoping really soon to be able to run and keep working on my legs and my right arm and hopefully throw here real soon,” he said. “I’m probably jumping the gun, but I just want to be back as quick as I can so trying to do everything I can do to be ready.”
Sudfeld said he slept only 10 minutes Thursday night and about three hours Friday night because he has to keep his left arm elevated while he’s in bed.
A lot of Eagles fans will be experiencing sleepless nights until he gets back.
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