The Philadelphia Eagles have hit home runs finding defensive players in the last few NFL drafts, picking up one plug-and-play starter after another.
They’ll most likely have to go the rest of the way without one of them after Eagles rookie safety Andrew Mukuba fractured his ankle in a 24-21, Week 12 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Mukuba, a 2025 second round pick (No. 64 overall) has started 10 of 11 games for the 8-3 Eagles with 46 tackles, 2 interceptions, 3 pass deflections and 3 TFL.
“Eagles rookie safety Andrew Mukuba suffered an ankle fracture that will require surgery, per sources,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on his official X account on Monday, November 24. “Mukuba — who has stood out in Philly’s secondary — is working through next steps, but his season is in jeopardy.”
Mukuba fractured his ankle with less than one minute left in the fourth quarter attempting to make a tackle on Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.
It was part of a rash of injuries suffered by the Eagles secondary against the Cowboys.
” … Reed Blankenship left the game with a thigh injury,” NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark wrote on his official X account. “And Adoree Jackson was in concussion protocol. Injuries to watch heading into a short week.”
The Eagles host the Chicago Bears in Amazon Prime Video’s Black Friday Game on November 28. Both teams are 8-3.
Mukuba Made Big Impression Early for Eagles
Mukuba, 5-foot-11 and 186 pounds, was an All-ACC pick at Clemson before transferring to Texas for his final college season in 2024, where he earned All-SEC honors as the Longhorns made the College Football Playoff for the first time.
He made a big impression early with a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns in a preseason game then doubled down in Week 2 with a clutch interception and 41-yard return in a Week 2 Super Bowl rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“This wasn’t a pretty game by the Philadelphia Eagles, and they found themselves in a very tough position early in the fourth quarter,” Bleacher Report’s Sobleski wrote on September 14. “Then, rookie safety Andrew Mukuba made the play of the game. The Kansas City Chiefs were on the doorstep of a go-ahead touchdown when the ball bounced out of the arms of Travis Kelce. Mukuba plucked it out of the air and returned it 41 yards. Philadelphia scored on the ensuing drive to take a 10-point lead and essentially put the game out of reach.”
Eagles Searching for Identity After Loss
While most NFL franchises would be thrilled to be 8-3 right now, the Eagles 2025 season has been a story of miserable in-fighting and drama as they try to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Blowing a 21-0 lead against the Cowboys and being on the wrong end of the largest comeback win in Dallas franchise history has done nothing to quiet concerns.
Losing a high impact starter like Mukuba won’t help, either.
“No timetable for his return until after the procedure,” Eagles reporter Chris DeFranco wrote on X. “S Reed Blankenship (thigh) and CB2 Adoree’ Jackson (concussion) statuses unclear. Michael Carter II and practice squad players could plug holes.”
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