FOR JURGENS, ENDURING THE PAIN WAS WORTH IT
- Al Thompson
- 1 minute ago
- 6 min read
It's been quite a year for Eagles starting center Cam Jurgens. In 2024, he finally got to play the position the Eagles drafted him to play.
He was out from under the massive shadow of future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce.
He made the most of it.
The former Nebraska standout started all 16 games the Birds used their starters, was selected to the Pro Bowl and helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX.
Jurgens also signed a lucrative extension that, according to spotrac.com, is a four-year $68 million contract of which $39.4 million is guaranteed.
The Eagles continued what they have done for years and that is to recognize their young talent and sign their extensions early to save cap space and keep their best players.
Jurgens was obviously one of them.
“I mean, I feel, secure that I'm going to be here for a long time,” said to reporters during his video press conference. “And, yeah, it's wild to think that I'm finally here. You know, it's crazy.”
Jurgens was asked if he has taken it all in that his under contract until 2029.
“I'm just kind of worried about this year,” 25-year-old said. “That's the approach I've always had, you know, since I got here, it's like, what, what can I do today, and what can I do to get better?
"And, I think it's done me well, and not to look too far in the future, but just know that, I'm on this team, I have security for the years ahead. I feel safe about that, so I don't have to worry about 2029, or or the years after. I can just worry about today and getting better and doing my thing, and what I love to do.”
SEASON WAS TOUGH ON JURGENS
Jurgens success came with a price. He developed nerve pain in his back. He chose to wait until after the season to have the surgery needed to give him relief. Jurgens played well though the pain.
During his talk with reporters, Jurgens was asked how the surgery went and what stage of recovery was he at.
“Yeah, it's still a process,” admitted. “Whenever you get surgery, it takes a little bit to get through the rehab process and get back to it, so still going through that and but man, I feel, honestly, I feel like a new man.
“I feel so much better going through the playoffs and dealing with that pain. I'm sure a lot of people have dealt with that before, it's not fun.
“But when you're going through the playoffs, and I'm not really concerned about me, I'm kind of concerned about what I can do to help the team and do everything I can and to win.
“When you're playing for a Super Bowl, that's going to last forever. Back pain is going to last however long it wants to last. But I'm going to be a Super Bowl champ forever. I get to be with the Eagles for a long time.
“I'm looking forward to making a full recovery, not really worried about if it's going to last to the season. I feel really confident with how I where I'm at right now, and where it's going to be. And, yeah, I just feel, man, I feel so much better than where it was. That's for sure.”
Was Jurgens told by the medical team that operated on him that he would make a full recovery...no lingering problems or restrictions?
“Yeah, I'll make a full recovery,” said Jurgens, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 303 pounds. “I feel very confident about that. I'm not gonna be worried about it. It's gonna be nice to have this problem in my past. But football is football. It's, you're gonna get injured...new things pop up.
Whatever's gonna happen is gonna happen. So you can't really worry about that.”
Jurgens was asked about the height of his pain last year…how bad was it?
“It sucked,” Jurgens said. “It sucked, just getting through it. I think you know worse was leading up to that NFC Championship game. But it feels good knowing I can look back on that and just be like it was all worth it, thinking...how am I going to get through this and what's going to happen? But when you're playing for a team, you're going to lay everything on the line.
“Everybody's dealing with stuff. Landon (Dickerson) is dealing with stuff, everybody on the team has something going on.
“You never want to make your deal bigger than anybody else's...it is what it is. You're a football player. That's what we sign up for. That's what it takes. You get a Super Bowl ring, you're going to have that to show for the rest of your life. I don't care what I had to go through to get to a certain point...all I know is everything was worth. it.”
EAGLES ‘TUSH PUSH’ IS STILL ON THE CHOPPJNG BLOCK
This was the first time Jurgens was available since some owners pressed to have the Eagles signature quarterback sneak play banished. So if course he was asked if he thinks the “Tush Push” should be banned?
“You know? I just operate, I'm just a football player here,” Jurgens said. “And you know, if they ban it, they ban it. It's out of my control. I feel like it's a fun play for us to run, we run it really well. It'd be a shame if they take it out of our hands. But that's not something I need to be concerned with.”
One question brought up about the “Philly Shove” was whether the play was safe.
“I don't know. I feel like everybody's gonna make an argument. And you could come up with some data that proves it or doesn't prove it. I don't know. I'm just running the play. I never got injured on the play. I don't know who has and you know you can get injured on any play.
“You know you can get injured walking down the stairs. We're not going to outlaw stairs, but it's just it is what it is. And you know, if they outlaw it, you know weirder stuff has happened in the NFL in years past.”
KEEPING THE BAND TOGETHER FOR AT LEAST THREE MORE SEASONS
Jurgens was asked how much better does he feel know he, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson and Lane Johnson will be together as a unit for at least another three years? Can they get better?
“I think we can get so much better together,” Jurgens said. “Since I got here, I feel like the culture was just so present right away. You know, seeing (Jason) Kelce, Lane (Johnson), Isaac (Seumalo), and just watching them guys work, you could tell there's immediate culture in that O line room and and how they operated.
“Everything is full speed. Everything's 100 percent and, and there's a standard there. I'm just so blessed to be here and be part of that. I get that contract extension, and I get to be a part of one of the leaders in that room, and I get to put my best foot forward, and work and do everything I can to be a leader for the guys coming in and being that role model that I had when I came in.
“I just feel like everybody in that room, you know, depending if you're an old guy, a young guy, or somebody coming in, I feel like you just get better. It's just an environment, that culture that's been built there for so long, through Stout (O-line coach Jeff Stoutland), it's just, it's very infectious. And I can't wait to keep working with those guys. And, passing that on down.”
WHAT NEW TOY IS ON JURGENS’ RADAR NOW THAT HE HAS SOME EXTRA CASH?
Since this run of extensions started with Dickerson over a year ago, when the Pro Bowl guard was asked if he wanted purchased something special after signing his new deal and he said he want a zero-turn lawnmower, then Saquon Barkley said he wanted a golf membership...the question is now a standard.
What special something will Jurgens purchase?
It was obvious he knew he was going to be asked.
“You know, I haven't given it too much thought,” Jurgens started with. “I feel like I fly a lot. So I might look into this thing called, like, TSA PreCheck.
“I feel like that sounds like it's a good idea. I'm kind of tired of waiting in lines. I think I could afford that, so I don't know. I think I'm gonna look into TSA PreCheck next and see if I can get that done.”
Hell, he can rent his own jet now. *
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