At a Glance
- Drew Mukuba fractured his fibula days after DC Vic Fangio praised his newfound consistency
- Second-round safety started 10 straight games, recording 46 tackles and 2 interceptions
- Recovery timeline targets May return; Super Bowl comeback was never realistic
- Why it matters: With both starting safeties hitting free agency in 2026, Mukuba’s development becomes critical for Philadelphia’s secondary future
Philadelphia’s promising rookie safety saw his breakout season halted in an instant, turning momentum into months of rehab.
The Moment Everything Changed
On Nov. 18, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio agreed that Drew Mukuba had finally found consistency after an “uneven” start. A few days later in Dallas, Mukuba fractured his fibula.
“The toughest part about that was just knowing that I can’t finish the year out,” Mukuba said at locker clean-out day. “I just started to build some consistency in my game. So knowing that I was able to do that and that I was playing at a high level, I felt like going down, that was kind of discouraging.”
The injury required surgery. While the team never officially ruled him out, Mukuba confirmed he would not have returned even if the Eagles reached the Super Bowl. One day after the season ended, he remained in a walking boot but expects to be ready for spring practices in May.
From Bench to Breakout
Mukuba did not open the season as a starter. The second-round pick from Texas claimed the job and started the next 10 games, finishing with:
- 46 tackles
- 2 interceptions
- 3 pass breakups
Quarterbacks tested the rookie, targeting him 20 times. The results were mixed:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Completions allowed | 14 |
| Yards allowed | 263 |
| Touchdowns allowed | 2 |
| Interceptions | 2 |
| Opposing passer rating | 106.3 |
Fangio anticipated growing pains. He labeled Mukuba’s season “uneven” early on, yet saw real improvement before the injury.
Finding Stability
Mukuba credits self-assessment for his mid-season surge.
“Just looking in the mirror, looking at myself and what I needed to do on my end,” he said. “I just felt like there were a lot of things I needed to get better at and I didn’t get to rush it. Just take one step at a time, finding one thing to work on, get better at that and then finding something else to improve on.”
The approach paid off. Once he focused on incremental gains, his game leveled up across previously struggling areas.
Life After the Injury
Philadelphia cycled through replacements. First came Sydney Brown for one game, then veteran Marcus Epps handled the role the rest of the way alongside Reed Blankenship.
Mukuba leaned on teammates to stay positive.
“But I kind of got over it with the guys around me and the help that I had. They helped change my mentality. Knowing that this is not a bad thing, just another way, another hurdle I gotta get over. I was able to work through that.”
Looking Ahead to 2026
The Eagles face real questions at safety. Both Blankenship and Epps are pending free agents, meaning one or both could depart.
Blankenship, 26, joined as an undrafted rookie in 2022 and became a full-time starter for three seasons. Mukuba studied him closely.
“Just really how to be a pro, to be honest with you,” Mukuba said. “I feel like how he handles his business, how he takes care of his body, what he did off the field with the person he is overall, it really taught me a lot. I was just sitting back and watching him and learning and he definitely showed me how to be a true professional.”
Rookie Lessons
Despite the abrupt ending, Mukuba values the snaps he logged.
“Yeah, definitely,” he said. “I feel like with my experience this year, everything I seen, I feel like I played a lot of snaps to see a lot of things. I feel like going into my second year, that’s going to help me a lot because I’m already ahead. I know what to expect and I know what’s going to happen. Now it’s just my job to do my part.”
Key Takeaways
- Mukuba’s injury came right as he turned the corner on performance consistency
- His recovery goal is May, giving him a full offseason to secure a starting role
- Philadelphia’s safety room could look very different in 2026 with both current starters unsigned
- The rookie credits Reed Blankenship for teaching him how to be a professional
- Mukuba believes the extensive snaps he played will accelerate his Year-2 development
