Put Me In, Coach …

PHILADELPHIA – Away from football for the past month as he underwent the rehabilitation procedure for a hamstring injury sustained in Week 6, Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata said the team is what he most missed.

Mailata, who called himself “very emotional,” couldn’t travel with the team during his stint on injured reserve.

In the interim, his game day ritual involved relegation to watching on the couch with his wife.

The one time he could come close to matching the same passion he feels on game day was Week 8 at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars, when Mailata stood on the sideline alongside his teammates, embracing the lively atmosphere pulsing throughout Lincoln Financial Field.

Three weeks later, there’s a legitimate chance Mailata makes his return to the field, at home, in front of that same impassioned crowd.

The Eagles on Wednesday activated Mailata onto the 53-man roster, which puts him in line to play Thursday against the Commanders if he’s cleared.

For Mailata, who remained idle the first 10-to-14 days following the injury, being away while the team matured and prospered was challenging.

GETTY IMAGES: LT Jordan Mailata is ready to come back after missing four games with a hamstring injury.

The Eagles are 4-0 without him and enter Thursday night’s game against Washington on a five-game win streak.

But rather than sulk or take a melancholy viewpoint, Mailata attacked the recovery process.

“That was extremely tough,” Mailata admitted Tuesday. “I love the team, I love to be out there. I love my job, man. This is a special opportunity that we have this year, to go out there and win a Super Bowl.

“So, for me, I had to put my ego aside and deal with the injury first. I think shifting my focus on getting back on the field was probably the No. 1 goal of mine and not trying not to feel left out or left behind. So, just focusing on treatment every day really helped me, in hindsight, get to where I am today.”

Each day was touch-and-go for Mailata, his itinerary solely dependent on how he felt that particular day.

It required close communication with team trainers to assess his daily workload.

If Mailata doesn’t return against the Commanders he’ll have extra rest for next Sunday night’s game against the Rams in Los Angeles.

Regardless, the 27-year-old has turned a corner and is itching to get back on the field.

“Feeling good,” he said. “Just trusting in the daily targets that I’m setting every day, just to try and prepare for this game. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on the field – it feels like it has been –  but I’m pretty excited.”

Given the short turnaround for a Thursday night game, the concept of Mailata being able to ramp up and log much physical work is unlikely, as the Eagles have implemented walkthrough sessions to balance preservation and preparation.

To be revved up and ready, however, Mailata pinpointed his need of reps to knock off the rust, which walkthroughs offer.

“I think it’s more of a kind of mental rep,” he explained. “When you’re out there in the walkthroughs, really, you’ve gotta go at a speed that’s flowing with everybody else, but also just getting the right technique down, understanding your role on that play.

“And the amount of reps that we do for a walkthrough, that helps a lot, too, to prepare you for a game. And then when we do rehab, that’s when I’m gonna push it. Coming in here, pushin’ just to get in.”

Even though Mailata might not have been an active participant over the past four weeks, his inactivity and seclusion hasn’t impacted his presence around the NovaCare Complex.

He was still around, attending installs to ensure he’d be up on any new terminology – if there was any – so that when cleared, he’d be able to return to his post without a hitch.

He also remained closely connected with his replacement, veteran Fred Johnson, imparting wisdom and rooting Johnson on from afar.

Mailata described his fondness for Johnson, who received plenty of encouraging texts from his linemate.

“Fred did an amazing job,” Mailata gushed. “I don’t need to say anything. Fred is awesome. Love ’em, love ’em to death. He stepped up, and that’s a credit to Fred and a credit to [Offensive Line Coach Jeff] Stout[land] for preparing him that way.”

Mailata said he texted Johnson money bag emojis before and after games.

“I was like, ‘You’re loading the bank right now,'” Mailata said. “And I’m excited for Fred for next year, man.”

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