Through Pain

PHILADELPHIA – Cam Jurgens and Brandon Graham weren’t the only Eagles delivering gutsy efforts under the bright lights of the Caesars Superdome nearly two weeks ago. According to a report from Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, second-year edge rusher Nolan Smith tore his triceps during the first half of Super Bowl LIX.

Smith, who powered through with one arm during the second half of what would become a 40-22 Eagles rout, had surgery Wednesday and is expected to be ready for the 2025 season.

GETTY IMAGES: Philadelphia Eagles EDGE Nolan Smith Jr. finished Super Bowl LIX despite tearing his triceps in the first half.

During the Super Bowl, it was apparent Smith was plagued by something, but the specifics were unclear. He was limited to 30 snaps, accounting for 54% of the total. The injury may not have sidelined Smith, though it warranted an uptick in snaps for third-round rookie Jalyx Hunt, who registered 23 snaps.

Smith becomes the second Eagles pass-rusher recovering from a torn triceps, Graham being the other. That the 24-year-old Smith already underwent surgery and carries a favorable timeline is critical for both Smith and the Eagles, as the Georgia product is primed for a prominent defensive role and household-name status on a presumed top-shelf unit.

In 16 games (10 starts) in 2024, Smith tallied 42 tackles (eight for loss), 6.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hits, and a forced fumble. He also recovered two fumbles.

Regardless of what’s ahead, Smith will likely always be remembered for his postseason toughness and heroics, a four-game showcase that yielded 4.5 sacks. His passion for the game and pound-for-pound physicality is unmatched, characteristics that made an impression on head coach Nick Sirianni, who highlighted those specific traits back in November.

“Nolan deeply cares about being good at football,” he said. “Nolan loves football. Nolan is as tough as we’ve got. One of the toughest guys we’ve got on this football team. He plays as hard as anybody in the National Football League.”

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.