Former Georgia football linebacker Nakobe Dean has been anxiously waiting to make his season debut. After suffering a kneww injury during the Philadelphia Eagles playoff run last season, Dean has been on the sideline working hard to get healthy and back on the field.
Thankfully that time has finally come as Dean will officially make his season debut on Thursday Night Football this week against the New York Giants.
#Eagles standout linebacker Nakobe Dean is expected to make his season debut tomorrow vs. the Giants, sources tell @CBSSports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) October 8, 2025
Has been working back from a knee injury from last year. Workload expected to be limited at first but set to progressively increase throughout the year. pic.twitter.com/IqKWu1X7sz
Nakobe Dean is officially back but will still be limited in how much he plays
Dean is coming off an elite season with the Eagles in 2024. He finished the year with 128 tackles and three sacks along with one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and one interception. He unfortunately did not get to play in the Eagles Super Bowl win last season, but he played a massive role in helping the team get to that point.
Dean unfortunately missed the Eagles first five games this season, but Philadelphia was able to survive without him as they currently hold a 4-1 record. With Dean's addition back into the lineup though, the Eagles will likely only get better the rest of the season.
The above report unfortunately shares that Dean will still be limited throughout his first few games back. This is the smart move as it will help him avoid getting injured again in the coming weeks, but Dean will not play his normal amount of snaps these next couple weeks.
But the fact that he is back is good enough for Georgia and Philadelphia fans alike because Dean has proven to be one of the top linebackers in the NFL. And once he is back to full health there is a good chance he will become one of the leaders of the Eagles defense who are looking to get back to the Super Bowl.