BE HONEST. When DeMeco Ryans tore the Achilles' tendon in his right foot last November at NRG Stadium in Houston, you thought there was a very good chance he had played his last down as an Eagle, maybe his last down for anyone. I confess I did, and I've been covering professional football for 32 years.
The man Chip Kelly calls "Mufasa" had just suffered his second Achilles' injury in five years (he tore the left one in 2010). He was 30 going on 31. You can count the number of thirtysomething NFL linebackers who have made successful comebacks from Achilles' injuries on your fingers.