Eagles Captain Provides Injury Update: ‘That is My Goal’

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Eagles Captain Provides Injury Update: ‘That is My Goal’

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• By Mike Greger

• Updated May 26, 2021 at 5:59pm

GettyEagles LB TJ Edwards and S Rodney McLeod wrap up Giants WR Darius Slayton.

It’s been two offseasons since Malcolm Jenkins left the Philadelphia Eagles. A lot has changed, but one man has stayed the same: Rodney McLeod.

The reliable veteran safety — hard to believe he’ll turn 31 in June, right? — has endured a coaching change and tons of turnover in the secondary. And McLeod is rehabbing from his second major knee surgery in three seasons after tearing another ACL (different knees) last December in Week 13.

The team captain has been posting photos and videos of his recovery on Instagram while promising he’ll be ready to return for the season opener on Sept. 12. On Wednesday, McLeod updated his progress in a post-practice chat with the media. All signs are trending up.

"I’m just extremely confident in the work I’m putting in, progress has been great from week to week, month to month,” McLeod told reporters. "I want to be available for my team, not for only eight games but for all 17.

"And so that is my motivation. For me, I have all intentions on being there in Week 1. At the end of the day, you have to listen to your body and everyone around me, but I’m grinding around the clock to be available for my team.”

The Eagles signed Anthony Harris in the offseason to pair with McLeod in what could be a pretty terrifying safety tandem. The two guys were brief teammates at the University of Virginia where McLeod mentored Harris as a "big bro.” Harris eventually took over the starting spot when McLeod left school for the NFL.

"I was super excited when he [Harris] hit me up and when he got the word that he was coming [to Philly],” McLeod said. "And we’ve been building [the relationship] since he got here.”

Interestingly enough, McLeod also has an existing relationship with new defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson. The former NFL safety mentored McLeod in high school as defensive backs coach at DeMatha High (Maryland). They reunited in 2012 when Wilson was a defensive quality control coach for the St. Louis Rams.

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