Turns out Isaac Seumalo’s injury was more than just a sore knee.
Seumalo revealed in a Zoom call Friday morning that he underwent surgery on his knee during his eight-week layoff.
Although Seumalo didn’t go into any detail on the surgery, Lane Johnson – in announcing his own season-ending injury – said Seumalo’s surgery was to repair an MCL injury.
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Seumalo returned to action in the Eagles’ loss to the Browns on Sunday, his first game since he got hurt Week 2 vs. the Rams.
Seumalo hinted that he’s not at 100 percent but didn’t say how close he is or whether he expects to be back at 100 percent this year.
“With any surgery, it always takes more time,” he said. “I can say it’s whatever or this and that. As long as I’m on that field, I expect a real high level of play from myself. I’m going to go out there and play without any fear of reinjury or anything like that. Any talk of the knee is this percent or whatever, it’s good enough. I’m out there. And I’m going to play to a real high level. … Regardless of how it feels or this or that, the standard of performance needs to be as high as possible.
“I’m real thankful to be back and come back as quickly as I could. A lot of that goes to our training staff.”
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Seumalo, now in his fifth year, got hurt in the second quarter of the Eagles-Rams game at the Linc on a short run by Miles Sanders.
“I got rolled up on,” he said. “It was a freak thing. Thankfully, it could’ve been a lot worse. But it’s part of the game. Injuries are going to happen. You try to do as much preventative stuff as you can to avoid them. But it is what it is. Nobody’s fault or nothing. Just part of the game. I’m back now and I’m locked in to winning this game Monday night.”
With Andre Dillard, Brandon Brooks and Johnson out for the rest of the season, Seumalo and Kelce are the only projected opening-day starters currently in the starting lineup.
Seumalo said his mom and little brother spent the first few weeks after his surgery with him in Philadelphia.
“I’m grateful more than I can imagine for them,” he said. “My mom is incredible. I appreciate how much she’s done for me. Those three weeks she was here with my little brother, helping me around the house, cleaning up, cooking. I couldn’t really drive because of my leg. So she was driving me to the facility. Anything you could name, she was doing to help me. I’m forever grateful.”
Seumalo has played most of his career next to Jason Peters and a few games next to Andre Dillard, and it looks like the Eagles’ game against the Seahawks Monday night will be his first time playing alongside Jordan Mailata.
“When you’re playing next to a guy, especially guard-tackle, … there are a lot of times where it’s just you two working together on two guys or two out of three or whatever,” he said. “I have a real good rapport with Jordan, not just on the field but off the field. So if he’s there, I feel comfortable with him. Talking, communicating, making sure we’re on the same set line … and when game time comes, just being able to play as fast as possible.”
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