FOR DICKERSON AND JURGENS, 2025 PROVED TIME IS FOUR-LETTER WORD FOR A REASON

 At Mandatory minicamp, Cam Jurgens looked like a player who was free of pain. Photo by Terence Lewis. 

Fans and observers from near and far have picked apart the 2025 Eagles offense to determine what they believe was behind the dramatic drop off in offensive production.

The Birds were coming off a historic offensive performance en route to winning Super Bowl LIX.

Some blamed the decline on the play of quarterback Jalen Hurts and/or running back Saquon Barkley.

Some claimed it was the disgruntled A.J. Brown that poisoned the locker room.

It was clear new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was in over his head with play calling and strategy. Players openly complained about how predictable the Birds offense had become.  

The Eagles led the league in down-and-outs and still managed to win eleven games and repeat as NFC East champions.

The talent was always there. What went wrong?

Patullo and long-time offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland were shown the door.

The two coaches deserved to be listed as part of the problem.

In my opinion, while many points brought up here deserve conversation, if you are being honest, the play of the offensive line was at the center of the Eagles' woes last season.

Landon Dickerson, who did not talk to reporters during OTAs and mini-camps, appears to have lost some weight. Photo by Al Thompson

The three most decorated lineman, tackle Lane Johnson, guard Landon Dickerson and center Cam Jurgens all dealt with serious health issues that impacted their level of play and in Johnson’s case, his availability.

Johnson, who has been name first-team All-Pro twice (2017, 2022), second team All Pro three times (2021, 2023, 2024) and named to the Pro Bowl six times (2017–2019, 2022–2024) suffered a Lisfranc (left) foot injury that occurred in the first quarter of their Week 11 game against the Detroit Lions.

Johnson ended up missing the remainder of the season.

Dickerson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee during training camp in August 2025.

His physical ailments during the season seemed to expand to so many parts of his 6-foot-6, 332-pound frame, it was rumored that the manufacturers of the battery-operated, play-surgeon board game “Operation” were going to use Dickerson’s body frame for their next version.

The former Alabama standout’s performance significantly dropped off and he was not named to the Pro Bowl after being named three consecutive years.

While Lane Johnson spoke to the media in June; Dickerson did not make himself available during OTA or mandatory mini-camps.

According to public reports, Jurgens underwent back surgery in Los Angeles to repair a herniated, broken disc that had wrapped around his sciatic nerve. Those same reports reveal He delayed the procedure to play through his back issues during the Eagles' Super Bowl run, and then had the surgery immediately after the season.

The former Nebraska standout’s recovery may have required the highest degree of difficulty from a rehabbing point.

He did not have an offseason training program to get ready for the 2025 season. 

He still played well enough to get selected to the Pro Bowl, but he often commented his performance wasn’t where he wanted it to be.

In order to get as healthy as they can for the 2026 season, Jurgens and Dickerson traveled to Medellín, Colombia, for their stem cell treatments. Both linemen were treated at bioXcellerator, a cell therapy center.

According to online reports, pro athletes typically use stem cell therapy during the offseason to accelerate healing and avoid invasive surgeries. 

It seems both players benefited from the treatment and provided them the required window of time for recovery without the pressure of immediate game-day performance.

Jurgens talked about not having enough time to get ready for 2025. 

When people are trying to kick an addiction, the start of that journey can be torturous. 

It is likely all three of these guys were sick of medical people and friends saying “It’s going to take time.”

There is a well-known saying in 12-step programs that “Time is a four-letter word for a reason.”

Eagles fans and players are hoping their trip to Columbus was worth the time.

JURGENS TALKS ABOUT THE LACK OF TIME HE REALLY NEEDED

“When you go through a season you get a lot of wear and tear,” Jurgens said at a press conference during mandatory mini-camp. “That's kind of how the NFL is. It's always tough going in. Like after the Super Bowl, getting back surgery and you don't really get that off season.

“That's always a tough thing when you get surgery, you don't get that off season, you're just rehabbing, then it's right into the season.

“You're trying to rehab, trying to get through things. But yeah, it's so nice to have a full off season like this year.”

Jurgens said he didn’t have any resentment regarding his injury and the lengths he went to in order to make his body right.

“I play in the NFL, they pay me money, so I'm going to do everything I can do to get my body right.

"[Stem cell] is a great option for us. I talked to a lot of guys around the league, so many have used stem cells...I've noticed such a good change since I've been down there.””

Jurgens was asked how he heard about stem cell treatments.

“Stem cells have been going on for a long time now,” Jurgens said. “I'm not the first one; I won't be the last one. There have been a lot of good cases of people going down there and saying how it helps you heal. It's going to help you get into a better position.

“We're paid a lot of money to do our job and we have to use all the resources we can.”

The 6-foot-3, 303-pounder was asked if there are things he can do now that he couldn’t before he got the treatment.

“It’s hard to tell with the treatment, if it helps or it doesn’t,” Jurgens said. “At the same time we’re getting so much time off, and we get a full offseason to train and prepare.

“So it’s like, I can’t pinpoint everything, I’m doing so many different things all over the place to help my body and get in a good spot for the next season.”

Jurgens stopped and summed up where he’s at.

“Pain has gone down, daily living, the quality of life is…better," he said. “But that’s what you expect from a full offseason.”

Questions regarding the stem cell treatment and his health dominated the session so much, Jurgens paused after a stem cell question and laughed as he replied:

"We need to get a doctor in here with all these stem cell questions," Jurgens said. "I know it's helping me feel better. And that's the main thing."

He continued:

“Stem cells are going to areas of inflammation and help heal that area of the body. It's like signals...wherever the pain is in your body; stem cells may go there and help that (area) heal faster." 

Jurgens went on to explain how stem cell treatments work, then other treatments the Eagles use...he then stopped and smiled the smile of having enough, "I don't know."

Jurgens seemed to want to let people know the Eagles have a state of the art medical facility, that what he and Dickerson did was just one form of treatment, unfortunately, American medical professionals are not permitted to administer.

"That's just saying...we have so many things in this building, red light, cold tub. It's finding ways to help your body, stem cells...it helps."

Jurgens was asked about Landon Dickerson fared with the stem cell treatment.

"He's doing a lot of stuff to get his body right," Jurgens said. "You'll have to ask him specifically how he's feeling.

AI Overview of a red light cold tub: "A contrast recovery routine that pairs cold water immersion with red light therapy (RLT). This practice involves sitting in a freezing cold plunge (usually 45°F to 59°F) to restrict blood vessels and reduce inflammation, followed by RLT to promote circulation, cellular energy, and tissue repair."

JURGENS ON TIME BEING THE OBSTACLE

Jurgens reiterated that the problems he had in 2025 weren't necessarily from a specific injury, but more from not having the time to prepare for the season because so much time was spent before the season with medical people rehabbing from surgery after the 2024 season. 

The Eagles played four extra games, won the Super Bowl, then had parades here and back where players live. Other teams have already started preparing for 2025 before the Birds were done with 2024.

Then Dickerson and Jurgens had surgeries that needed time to heal. Time they didn't have. 

"You get surgery, then you don't have any of that offseason to train...you're kind of behind the eight ball. I felt like I was like that throughout the season. Every week I was trying to get better and get the body right.

"It's nice having a fresh, clean slate and getting to train throughout the offseason.”

BACK TO FOOTBALL AND THE NEW LOOK OFFENSE

At one point thankfully the conversation focused on football, the new offense being installed by Sean Mannion.

So what’s he been doing so far at NovaCare this spring?

“Just learning a new offense and getting excited for it,” Jurgens said. “I like the system. I’ve always liked the teams that run it. It lets you be a little bit more of an athlete.

“It lets you run around and play free, I’m excited for that. But it’s hard to tell…there’s no pads. It’s not real football right now. It’s all learning and comprehending, still getting the technique down. It’s all coming. I love it so far.”

What does Jurgens think of new offensive line coach Chris Kuper, 43, who played eight seasons as a guard for the Denver Broncos from 2006 to 2013, appearing in 90 games with 79 starts?

“Kupe” worked his way up the coaching ranks. He spent the last four seasons as offensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings. 

“I’m really enjoying it,” Jurgens said “It’s a different room honestly. I came here with Stout (Jeff Stoutland-2013-2026). I learned so much from him.

“Now Kupe’s here. It’s interesting going from Stout to Kupe because Kupe is a former player. He sat in the seats. He’s been where we’ve been. He’s gone through a lot of stuff we have so…it’s just a different vantage point.

Jurgens said everything with this offense is different.

“It’s a whole different scheme,” He said. “It’s fun learning new techniques and new ways to do things. I’ve had a great time learning”

Jurgens was asked about new blocking schemes including wide zone blocking that apparently was not part of how Stoutland ran his offensive lines.

“I’m excited,” Jurgens said. “It’s been fun attacking it. It’s a little bit different philosophy on how you can block things, where help is, how a running back may attack something compared to what we’re used to. 

"It’s kind of just swiping everything clean, forgetting what you used to do. It’s a whole new system and philosophy.”

Jurgens was asked what areas of his game with run blocking that he could tap into that maybe playing in the previous system use his athleticism and create the angles necessary for successful run blocking this season?

"I feel like it's a little bit more of a whole committee approach," Jurgens said. "It's all eleven of us that have a job and responsibility. 

"But it's not put on all five of the o-linemen...it's not like 'if you five guys don't do everything right, it's not going to work!' It's a little bit of everybody. 

"[The new system] it's kind of giving us real good angles and ways to attack defenses. You're trying to think less while you're trying to keep the defense on their toes and vice versa, they're always trying new things, everything is always evolving."

IN CLOSING

Is Jurgens now a source for new guys like Drew Kendall and Jake Majors?

"That's why I really like our o-line room," Jurgens said. "Everybody's willing to help. Everyone is willing to ask questions. It's just a family in there. We're all trying to help each other, we want the best for everybody."

Is playing with the quarterback under center more beneficial?

"It's just another way to keep defenses on their toes," he said. "You can be less predictable. It kind of gives us a little better angles. Defenses can't cheat things because they don't know where we're going to go. You can set up a lot of your plays a lot better.

“You can have a run, or you can have a pass that looks like the run. Then you're setting up a screen that looks just like that pass...everything meshes well together. 

"That's been fun to watch instead of always being in the gun, having to put things together and people start teeing off on you in certain ways. Now we can stay ahead of that.

"You want to be attacking!" Jurgens continued. "You don't want to be defending, that's not a fun way to play. I'm very excited.”

Eagles’ fans can’t wait to see this. That’s why T-I-M-E is a four-letter word. We’re all going to have to wait. *

Email Al Thompson at al.thompson@footballstories.com.

Some information is from AI overview and wikipedia.com

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1474 (page 8): Cam Jurgens is feeling fine after knowing he has the entire offseason to get ready for 2026. Photo by Terence Lewis. 

211107: Cam Jurgens has made two consecutive Pro Bowls. Photo by Andy Lewis. 

11906: Cam Jurgens says the stem cell treatments went well. 

0f143: Cam Jurgens said he believes the stem cell treatments went well for Landon

spirits: Cam Jurgens seemed to be in great spirits during his press conference on June 10, 2026. Photo submitted. 

d5ba: Cam Jurgens says he genuinely likes the job Chris Kuper has done so far. Photo by Al Thompson.