Sweat scratched due to emergency medical procedure

Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat needed emergency surgery to survive a “life threatening” abdominal issue this past Tuesday and was scratched from Sunday’s wild-card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Eagles made the revelation just prior to kickoff of what ended up a 31-15 loss. It wasn’t an emergency appendectomy, according to a club source.

What’s commendable is that Sweat, tied for the team lead with 7.5 sacks, attempted to rehab to be on the field just five days later to pressure Tom Brady. The comeback bid was close, according to club spokesman

Bob Lange.

“On Tuesday night, Josh Sweat was admitted to the hospital,” Lange said in a statement. “He underwent an emergency procedure due to the severity of the matter. The doctors addressed a life-threatening situation. In the following days, Josh and our medical team did everything possible to help him return to play. He improved every day but it was determined by the doctors today that he was not quite ready. The fact that Josh came so close to playing is a credit to his toughness and our medical staff.”

Eagles running back Miles Sanders underwent surgery after fracturing a bone in his right hand two weekends ago, yet returned to action Sunday.

Also on the sideline was defensive end Brandon Graham, who hugged teammates and gave Tom Brady the eye — anything to help the Birds get over the hump.

Graham’s strip sack of Brady and subsequent recovery by Derek Barnett in Super Bowl LII set up the field goal giving the Eagles an eight-point lead late in their title win over the Patriots in 2017.

Graham sustained a torn Achilles’ tendon earlier this season.

The Eagles also scratched right guard Nate Herbig, who has a strained knee along with quarterback Reid Sinnett, and defensive backs Andre Chachere, Tay Gowan and Kary Vincent Jr.