PHILADELPHIA – For most NFL teams, it’s one of the most anonymous positions in professional football. For the Philadelphia Eagles, center has, well, truly become the center of attention.
Nearly a year after Jason Kelce, probably the most high-profile and recognizable pivot the league has ever known – even more so now that he works for ESPN in various capacities and has become a fixture as a commercial pitchman – retired following 13 seasons with the Eagles, the newly crowned conference champions had to use two snappers in their 55-23 NFC championship game defeat of the Washington Commanders.
They’re again hoping to play both, albeit in a different configuration, two weeks from now in Super Bowl 59 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Landon Dickerson, normally a Pro Bowl left guard, slid over to start at center Sunday afternoon because Pro Bowler Cam Jurgens, who’d been the team’s right guard in 2023 before getting tabbed to move into Kelce’s spot this season, was dealing with a bad back that rendered him questionable on the injury report. Jurgens hadn’t been able to do much physically during the week leading up to the Washington game. Dickerson’s shift meant Tyler Steen started at left guard.
However Dickerson injured a knee in the first half against the Commanders, activating Jurgens from what he called his “emergency role” off the bench and into the lineup in the third quarter.
All things Eagles: Latest Philadelphia Eagles news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.
“It’s for this team,” Jurgens said of his decision to play after trying to stay warm in a full-length Eagles jacket before halftime while staying in touch with Dickerson.
Despite being at the bottom of a lot of tush-pushing in a physical and chirpy affair, Jurgens managed to finish out but walked gingerly off the field and into the Lincoln Financial Field tunnel before reaching the locker room. Dickerson dragged his injured leg after the game just as he had on the field before tagging out.
“Landon’s fighting through (expletive). Everybody’s fighting through (expletive),’ Jurgens said. ‘Kinda went in there (trying to) figure out what percent I could get up to, how much I could do. And we thought those five that started were going to give us the best shot, (but) I was ready to come in.”
Dickerson suggested he’d be ready for the Super Bowl.
“Man, it takes everybody. We knew that from the get-go,” he told NBC Sports Philadelphia on the field following the game. “Super proud of those boys.
“Cam battled his ass off. Same thing with Steen – I think he did a great job. It takes everybody on this team.”
Asked what percentage of effectiveness he was operating at, Jurgens replied: “Good enough percent. I’ll be great for the Super Bowl.”
Despite the disruption, the Eagles, who have long resourced the offensive line as a foundational component of their success, also looked great Sunday. Their 55 points were a record in a conference title game, and their seven rushing touchdowns – including three apiece by quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley – were the most in a playoff game during the Super Bowl era (since 1966).
“I’m not surprised with how we operated today – the guys stepping up, stepping in,” said second-team All-Pro left tackle Jordan Mailata, who said the decision to start Dickerson at center came about an hour before the game.
“Cam’s been playing through a lot of adversity this year.”
Added coach Nick Sirianni: “I just can’t say enough about how much I respect these guys of what they have to do with their bodies. I don’t think anyone knows the half of it, what they have to do to play the long season.”
Replacing Jason Kelce
It had already been something of a long season for Jurgens. He did earn that Pro Bowl nod, but that hardly means he’s replaced a civic legend in Kelce, who’s also likely going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer thanks to a résumé that includes six All-Pro selections.
“Big shoes to step into,” said Jurgens. “If you’re trying to think, ‘I need to fill this guy’s shoes, I need to be like Kelce,’ I need to do this – you’re gonna fail. I don’t think anybody can succeed. I needed to be the best person I could be, I needed to feel my own shoes – I’m a damn good player.
“I just fought all year.”
Which was plenty sufficient for his line mates.
“We just embraced the challenge of losing ‘Kelc’ – that was a big loss, let’s just be real,” said Mailata.
“But the thing I love most about our unit is that we love to embrace the challenge. I think Cam has done a phenomenal job and so has Landon – in terms of taking over communication, making sure everyone’s on the same page.”
Added Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson: “Look here, there’s nobody that’s gonna replace a Jason Kelce. When you look at his body of work, and what a player he was – there’s nobody that was able to do what he could do at the second level as a center, that athletic and that play style.”
But though Kelce is gone – at least from the lineup, though he remains a consistent presence around the team – another key figure who remains pivotal is legendary Eagles O-line coach Jeff Stoutland. His players universally praise his ability to prepare them, whether it be their techniques, execution, game-planning details – the list goes on.
Johnson, the lone holdover from the Philadelphia offensive lines in both Super Bowls 52 and 57, says the close-knit group’s days leading up to games aren’t necessarily fun but serve an important purpose.
“I credit Stout,” said Johnson, taking a deep breath and arching his eyebrows in anticipation of a tough couple weeks ahead of the Eagles’ Super Bowl 57 rematch with the Chiefs.
“Stout’s a menace in the (meeting) room.”
And while Kelce will be looking on from his analyst’s chair and/or as a fan, the Eagles should be in good hands with Dickerson and/or Jurgens … even if they’re likely to be the focus of typically scrutinized Super Bowl injury reports.
“That was really, that was gritty of him. He hadn’t practiced all week, really pushing through, and the resilience he showed coming in,” Hurts said after the game while expressing his appreciation for Jurgens while adding a reflective moment that the quarterback rarely indulges in.
“(A)ll the questioning and all the things that were thrown his way, and ended up being a Pro Bowler and having all the things to deal with this year. We’re replacing Jason Kelce. He’s done a great job. We’ll need him to do that again this upcoming week.”
***
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.