Kamu Grugier-Hill Battled Pain All Season

PHILADELPHIA - Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said on Monday, and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz followed up on Tuesday, that the reason linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill played a season-low five snaps against the Redskins was due to the scheme Washington was using on offense.

And as it turns out, Grugier-Hill has been playing with pain for the majority of the 2019 season, beginning with an MCL sprain during training camp that delayed the start of his season until the fourth week and included a concussion that he did not disclose when it happened during a game against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 1.

Now, Grugier-Hill has a lower lumbar disc herniation that will require surgery. He was placed on Injured Reserve on Wednesday and the Eagles promoted defensive tackle Bruce Hector from the practice squad.

Grugier-Hill’s agent Steve Caric released a statement to NJ Advance Media that said his client “has been playing through significant pain for the majority of the 2019 season. This pain has forced him to take weekly pre-game pain killing shots and IV drips."

Caric said the pain became so unbearable the past week that he decided to have a "minimally invasive back procedure to relieve the pain," and added that Grugier-Hill is expected to make a full recovery in three to four weeks.

Grugier-Hill is due to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

#Eagles LB Kamu Grugier-Hill’s agent Steve Caric sent NJ Advance Media the following statement on his client: pic.twitter.com/bB7U4i4kNs
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) December 18, 2019

When Pederson met with reporters on Wednesday morning, he did not want to speculate on how long Grugier-Hill may have had his back injury, saying only that Grugier-Hill had reported discomfort in his back following Sunday’s game. Pederson reiterated that the injury wasn’t the reason Grugier-Hill did not play more against the Redskins, even though Grugier-Hill has played roughly 35 snaps on defense and special teams this season.

An MRI was done on Monday and revealed the injury.

Grugier-Hill becomes the tenth player the Eagles have had to put on IR this week, including cornerback Cre’Von LeBlanc who was able to return three games ago.

“In the last couple of years, we played into February and well into January,” said Pederson when asked why his team has been so ravaged by injury. “It’s a lot of games, it’s a lot of wear and tear on bodies.

“These types of things are going to happen. That’s just the amount of contact and the amount of collision and the things that go on, not only during the week but also during the course of a game.”

Roster Move: #Eagles have placed LB Kamu Grugier-Hill on Reserve/Injured. pic.twitter.com/lX9eLhAD53
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 18, 2019

Grugier-Hill’s season ends with 23 tackles, four for loss, and one fumble recovery in 10 games, which includes six starts. He is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

T.J. Edwards and Duke Riley are expected to take some of the snaps that Grugier-Hill played.

Edwards played eight snaps on defense in Sunday's win over Washington.

Nigel Bradham continues to lead the team at the linebacker position with 596 snaps this season. Bradham and Nathan Gerry have been the nickel package linebackers the past two weeks.