PHILADELPHIA − Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean suffered a knee injury in the second quarter and had to be helped off the field.

And it appears that Dean might be out for at least a few weeks. Dean was carted off to the locker room and ruled out for the rest of the Eagles’ 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

He was seen after the game on crutches with a big brace over his leg. Dean’s teammates said they’re praying for the best, but they didn’t seem overly hopeful that he’ll be back any time soon.

“It hurt my heart,” said edge rusher Nolan Smith, who was Dean’s teammate at Georgia. “As soon as I walked in (the locker room), seeing him in here, I prayed. Then I was the first one there (on the field). I tried to help him up. He said, ‘No.’

“I immediately closed my eyes and prayed right there. To a lot of people it’s a game, this is a game to them, this is just, ‘Oh, it’s just football.’ But this is our livelihood.” I know me and him leave it on the field, and we were talking about it.”

Added linebacker Oren Burks, who replaced Dean and had 4 tackles: “We talked (after the game). I’m definitely praying for him out there. You don’t know exactly what his situation is, but he’s been our leader for the whole year, just commanding accountability from the top down.

“We’re gonna miss him, don’t know what the situation is, but again, next man up.”

Dean was second on the Eagles in tackles with 128 during the regular season. He had 6 on Sunday, including 2 for losses.

Cornerback Darius Slay left the game a few minutes before Dean on the same Packers drive with an elbow injury, but he returned late in the quarter. Slay had an interception to start the second quarter.

Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.