Avonte Maddox spent the days after his late September surgery sitting on his couch and feeling glum. This was the second surgery of the year for the Philadelphia Eagles cornerback, following an operation to repair a toe after the Super Bowl in February.

Speaking about his mental state following the September surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle suffered in Week 2, Maddox said, “That was the tough part. I had the surgery right after the Super Bowl and the second one the second week of the season, so that was emotionally the tough part about it.

After attacking his rehab with determination, Maddox’s efforts finally paid off when he was activated from injured reserve, just in time to play against the Arizona Cardinals in Sunday’s Week 17 game at Lincoln Financial Field.

Reflecting on his journey, Maddox said, “It feels great. It feels like it’s been forever but I worked hard to be here today.” To make room for his return on the roster, the Eagles put tight end Albert Okwuegbunam on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

Following Maddox’s absence, the Eagles went through more than half a dozen players, trying to fill the void in their slot cornerback spot. Maddox acknowledged the challenges of this position, stating, “It’s a lot of responsibility. You have to be vocal and talk and be confident in what you’re doing. It’s not easy, and I know it’s not easy, so you can fault anybody being put inside there, especially the younger guys trying to learn it. I feel they’re doing it the best they can, and I would try to do as much as I can to help in a way.”

Given the injuries and absences the team has experienced, the return of Bradley Roby, who was brought to Philly in October, and Maddox’s return fortify the cornerback position, providing relief to the defense that has struggled to replicate its form from the previous season.

Maddox expressed that he started feeling stronger about a month ago and that despite initially being told that his injury was season-ending, he started feeling like he could move around just a few weeks later. Crediting his recovery to his fast healing and high pain tolerance, Maddox expressed his eagerness to return to the field and continue playing the game he loves.

Before suffering his injury, Maddox made eight tackles, with five solo stops, and was credited with two passes defended and a forced fumble. Looking ahead to his return, he stated, “When I’m out there on the field, I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else than there, so anytime I can step back on the field there’ll be a big smile on my face, and I’ll be looking to have more fun.”

At a time when the Philadelphia Eagles have had to navigate their cornerback position with numerous players due to injuries and absences, Avonte Maddox’s return from injury brings a much-needed boost to the team’s defense as the regular season winds down.