Though he hasn’t been in the league very long, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean is already making his presence felt in a number of ways. A product of the University of Georgia Bulldogs and just 22 years old, Dean played in all 17 games for the Eagles last year during his rookie season. Though he has only played in 2 games thus far this season, sidelined with a foot injury for four weeks before making his return last week against the new York Jets, he is finding other ways to ingratiate himself into the Philadelphia community as well as setting an example for other players across the league: philanthropy. Most individuals, not just professional athletes, go their entire lives without truly giving back to their community in a meaningful way, either too busy with their careers and chasing personal goals or simply because they don’t have the means to do so. Yet Dean made the most of his time on injury reserve and is using every week to his advantage, not just on the field but off it as well.
Funny enough, this season was the first season in either his collegiate or NFL career that Nakobe Dean has missed a game due to injury. He appeared in all 39 games he was eligible to play in while at the University of Georgia, and as previously mentioned appeared in every game for the Eagles during his rookie season. The aforementioned foot injury occurred during the first week of the season in which the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots and kept him sidelined for four weeks, but Dean officially made his return this past Sunday against the New York Jets. He stayed committed to the game while hurt as well, noting that he has been
Photo Courtesy of Sports Illustrated
staying in the game, being in every single meeting, staying in the building, watching all the film, everything like that… I knew the game plan. I’m in on everything. I’m listening to the plays… I’m helping out, telling everybody what I’m seeing. Just staying in the game.” Head coach Nick Sirianni has taken notice of his commitment as well: “You don't have to ask much of him. He wants to be around at all times. He's a football junkie. Always trying to be around it. You saw that he was at the game [Sunday]. Sometimes, you don't always take guys to the away games. He really wanted to be there.” As a result, he is also already showing major improvements in his game and is just two solo tackles shy of tying his total from last season despite only appearing in two games thus far this year. It isn’t what he has done on the field that is catching the attention of Eagles fans and the NFL community, it’s what he has managed to do in his time off the field during the four weeks he spent on injury reserve.
During those four weeks off the field, Nakobe used his time productively to give back to families in need, youth in public schools and military families. He kicked off his efforts to give back to the community in August, before the season even officially began, donating 1,000 boxes of fresh produce, bread, milk and healthy snacks to a youth group at local public schools. Then just a month ago, Nakobe teamed up with the Kids in Need Foundation for their annual Backpack Blitz event to help give out 5,000 backpacks - all filled with supplies - to the Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia, bringing along backup Quarterback Marcus Mariota and Offensive Tackle Fred Johnson along with him to help support the cause. Mariota praised Nakobe for his efforts and highlighted what most of his supporters already know about the budding talent: “It’s a credit to his character. He’s a young guy, and sometimes players his age are always just trying to make sure you’re in the playbook… So for him to be here on our off day, giving back to the youth and
community, it says a lot about who he is with his stature as a defensive leader on our team. I think this is just the beginning for Nakobe.” But for Nakobe, it's seemingly just another day at work: “It’s always a blessing to give back to the Boys & Girls Club. This is our future, these kids. It’s my passion. Supporting the kids will always be my biggest thing because this program gave me so much.”
Earlier this month, Nakobe continued with his philanthropic efforts when he and his mother, Nekette Dean, visited US Army base Fort Dix in conjunction with Operation Homefront and the United Through Reading campaign to continue giving back. Here he
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met with 75 military families where he held a meet-and-greet and handed out books to children, even taking the time to read to them while he was there and continuing to spread the positive energy he is seemingly becoming so well known for. Because of his efforts these past two months, Nakobe Dean was named one of the NFLPA’s Community MVP Runners-Up in back to back weeks during Week 4 and 5 of this season. Now that he is back on the field his opportunities for philanthropic efforts may become a little more limited, especially as the season progresses and he likely becomes an integral piece of the Eagles defense who are strong contenders to win this year’s Super Bowl, but it’s safe to assume he is far from finished. It’s almost difficult to tell whether he is more committed to his football career or giving back to the community, but he is obviously so committed to both that there is virtually no doubt he will continue to shine on both fronts regardless.
Another fun fact about Nakobe Dean is that, despite getting drafted to play in the NFL, he is still pursuing his undergraduate degree at the University of Georgia. It was revealed earlier this year that Dean is still taking classes during his free time and recognizes
Photo Courtesy of AP
the value of a good education, pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering which is another remarkable feat in itself. University of Georgia’s Assistant Athletic Director of academics has praised Nakobe’s work in the classroom just as much as his head coach and teammates have praised his commitment to football and philanthropy: "He's a gifted student, but he doesn't settle for just what he knows. He is very intellectually curious," Kopaniasz said. "His effort doesn't allow him to be anything less than an A student." This begs the question, what can Nakobe Dean not do? A threat on the field, a pillar in his community and a gifted student, Nakobe is truly the full package and his work ethic speaks for itself. At just 22 years old, the sky's the limit for the budding NFL star and it’ll be exciting to see just how far he can take himself in the years to come.
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