Cam Jurgens details playing through pain in Super Bowl LIX originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
A little over a week after the Eagles won Super Bowl LIX, Cam Jurgens had surgery to alleviate nerve pain in his back.
On the latest Takeoff with John Clark, the Eagles’ starting center detailed what it was like to play through that type of pain during the Eagles’ playoff run.
“Man, it took a lot of hope, a lot of hope that we were going to go to the Super Bowl and win it,” Jurgens said. “It was just tough getting through the playoffs and feeling all that nerve pain. I mean, nerve pain with the back is just different. It’s just hard to rehab or do anything about that when you’ve just got something pushing on a nerve. The procedure kind of took care of that and helped it a ton.
“When you’re just playing through it, it’s hard to function, it’s hard to go throughout your day when you’ve got that nerve pain. Being able to play, I don’t really know how that happened but when you’re thinking about the Super Bowl, you put your body on the line, it doesn’t really matter. That’s what I’m saying, it was all worth it in the end. Doesn’t really matter what happens. If you can get out there and make a difference, you’re gonna do it.”
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Jurgens, 25, said he’s feeling much better after the surgery. He’s expected to be ready for training camp in July.
Jurgens’ back injury was hurting him so much that he actually didn’t start the NFC Championship Game against the Commanders. His teammate Landon Dickerson moved from left guard to center for the beginning of that game. But when Dickerson’s injured knee got too bad, Jurgens somehow entered the game and finished it off.
Both Jurgens and Dickerson were able to start in Super Bowl LIX.
“Sometimes when I’m feeling like, ‘Oh, it’s just hard to get through,’ I’m in a lot of pain, I’ll look over at Landon,” Jurgens said. “He’s in a lot of pain. We just kind of work through it together. That helps a little bit. Everybody is dealing with it. Seeing Landon go out there and battle the way he did, that inspires both of us back and forth to just keep going.”
It wasn’t easy for Jurgens to play through the injury in the playoffs but he knows he wasn’t alone.
What was it like for him when the Eagles’ ran the Tush Push?
“Honestly, it’s not like there were parts that were worse than others,” Jurgens said. “I think everything was just painful. Everything just sucks. But when you’ve got a banged-up back and a nerve issue, it is tough going down and doing QB sneak over and over and over again. But that’s what gets called. At the end of the day, I’m a soldier. I just put everything on the line for the team and whatever’s called or whatever I have to do, I’m going to do.”
This season was Jurgens’ first as the Eagles’ starting center. He replaced the legendary Jason Kelce and made the Pro Bowl. This offseason, Jurgens will be eligible for a contract extension for the first time in his career. The Eagles are normally very good about getting these extensions done early. They did it for Dickerson last offseason and it seems likely Jurgens will get his extension this offseason.
