Getty Eagles CB Avonte Maddox was back at practice and expects to play Sunday after suffering a scary concussion on Sept. 26.
It was the hit that stopped time. Well, actually it only lasted 20 seconds but it sure felt like a lifetime.
When Eagles safety Andrew Sendejo inadvertently slammed into teammate Avonte Maddox on Sept. 26 in Green Bay, the entire stadium went quiet. The jarring hit silenced nearly 78,000 screaming fans in the middle of Thursday Night Football.
Maddox, who has missed four straight games, was a full participant at Wednesday’s practice and will return to the field Sunday after being cleared from a neck injury and concussion symptoms.
Sendejo had been getting grief for not being more aware his teammate was in the “friendly” line of fire. The volatile safety has a long history of injuring players, including a curiously hefty fine and suspension record. On Wednesday, Maddox told reporters that he and Sendejo had reached an amicable agreement on how to put the incident behind them. Spoiler alert: it involves hugs.
“I told him he gotta hug me for five seconds before every practice and every game,” Maddox told reporters.
The second-year cornerback also confided that his mental state remains intact. He’s not envisioning any scenario where he would play “scared” or worry about re-injuring himself. That is all in the rear-view mirror.
“My dad always told me if you go out there and play scared, that’s when things happen to you,” Maddox said. “I feel I’m 100-percent ready, so that’s something I don’t think about. I’ll still go out and compete and compete my hardest.”
The second brutal hit of the night. This time friendly fire on Avonte Maddox 🙏
Three Players Sit Out Eagles Practice Wednesday
The Eagles are finally getting back to full health, thanks largely to the long-awaited returns of receiver DeSean Jackson and tailback Darren Sproles. However, there were three players missing from Wednesday’s practice — and they are pretty big names. Left tackle Jason Peters (knee), running back Miles Sanders (shoulder) and linebacker Nigel Bradham (ankle) all missed the session as they continue to recover from injuries.
Wednesday Injury Report
Earlier this week, head coach Doug Pederson indicated that Peters and Bradham would probably miss this week’s game. But he seemed to think Sanders would be able to give it a go. The rookie echoed that sentiment when he told reporters that he felt “100-percent fine.” He expects to play Sunday.
Jackson (abdomen) and Sproles (quadricep) returned to the field in a limited capacity, as did defensive tackle Tim Jernigan (foot). Defensive end Josh Sweat (ankle) was a full participant.
Genard Avery Ready to ‘Wreck Stuff’ for Eagles
The newest pass-rusher in the nest had an interesting choice of words for how he approaches each game. Genard Avery, acquired from the Browns in a trade Monday, hopes to give the Eagles 15-20 snaps coming off the edge as a speed end. The 24-year-old attended his first practice with the team Wednesday and told everyone to expect a “wrecking ball” on the field.
“A monster on the field. A wrecking ball,” Avery told the Eagles’ website when asked to describe his style. “I’m going to go out and play my heart out,” Avery said. “I’m a guy that loves the game.”
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz compared Avery to Brandon Graham, at least from a physical standpoint.
“He’s not quite as heavy as Brandon, but the way we play those edges I think he can be successful in our run defense as well as pass,” Schwartz said.
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Avonte Maddox & Andrew Sendejo Strike Friendly Compromise after Brutal Hit