Eagles' Nakobe Dean Out for 2025 NFL Playoffs After Knee Injury in Win vs. Packers

The Philadelphia Eagles' defense suffered a major blow during a 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers in Sunday's Wild Card playoff clash.

Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean is out for the remainder of the playoffs, head coach Nick Sirianni confirmed Monday.

"We sure will miss him," the coach told reporters. "He's made big plays all year long."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo first reported Dean suffered a torn patellar tendon in his knee and will "likely" miss the start of the 2025 season.

Dean suffered the injury while tackling Packers tight end Tucker Kraft in the second quarter of Sunday's game and was eventually carted off the field.

He recorded six tackles, which included two tackles for loss, prior to exiting the contest.

Dean primarily played on special teams during his rookie season in 2022, and he was limited to just five games in his 2023 campaign due to a foot injury that caused him to make multiple appearances on injured reserve.

The 24-year-old wasn't guaranteed a starting role in 2024, but he beat out Devin White in training camp to earn the top spot on Philadelphia's depth chart and didn't look back.

In 15 regular-season appearances, Dean racked up 128 tackles, nine tackles for loss, four passes defensed and three sacks. He received an impressive 74.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for his efforts, while his 82.1 pass rush grade ranked No. 8 out of 189 qualified linebackers.

Dean was an important piece on an Eagles defense that allowed a mere 278.4 yards per game, the best mark in the NFL.

He was replaced by veteran Oren Burks on Sunday, with Burks expected to slide into the starting role for the remainder of the playoffs. The 29-year-old finished the regular season with 41 tackles and two tackles for loss to go along with two forced fumbles.

As the Eagles prepare for the divisional round, they'll need their defense to remain stout without a key starter moving forward.