Eli Stowers is already sidelined. The Philadelphia Eagles announced their second-round rookie tight end will miss the Week 1 showdown against the Washington Commanders, and that’s just the start. He’s landing on the Injured Reserve list, meaning he’s out for at least the first four games of the 2026 season. Talk about a brutal start to a career, man.
Quadriceps and Hamstring Injuries Sideline Rookie TE
The Eagles broke the news officially, stating, “We have downgraded TE Eli Stowers to out for tomorrow’s game with quadriceps and hamstring injuries. He has been placed on the Injured Reserve List.” This isn’t just a bump or bruise, folks. Quadriceps and hamstring issues right out of the gate are no joke for a developing tight end. The team made a massive change on offense this offseason, letting A.J. Brown go and bringing in Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, and Stowers to fill that void. Stowers, being a tight end, was still seen as a solid receiver who could become a nice weapon for Jalen Hurts down the line. Now, that weapon is going to be collecting dust for a minimum of four weeks.
What This Means For The Eagles’ TE Room
Sure, Stowers had a quiet training camp and offseason overall, battling a combo of injuries and struggling when he actually got a chance on the field. He might be a developmental tight end, and honestly, he probably wasn’t going to get a ton of work early in the 2026 season anyway. But don’t let that fool you into thinking this IR placement doesn’t sting. Not having him as even a backup or depth option is a tough pill to swallow for the Eagles and their rookie. It even opens the door for the Eagles to potentially bring back Zach Ertz to Philly. For now, it’s Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, and E.J. Jenkins who are going to be carrying the load at tight end. This whole situation is a tough blow for Stowers, and for the Eagles, who really wanted to see what their second-round pick could do. His Eagles tenure is off to a poor start, plain and simple, with on-field struggles followed by this injury requiring an Injured Reserve stint.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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