BETHLEHEM, Pa.Defensive tackle Mike Patterson rejoined the Eagles at Lehigh University Friday afternoon, just two days after suffering a seizure that the team has said was caused by a blood vessel irregularity in his braina brain AVM.
Pattersons agent J.R. Rickert said he expects the 27-year-old defensive tackle to be cleared soon to resume football activities, but the Eagles arent nearly as optimistic.
He is scheduled to see a neurologist in Philadelphia in the next day or so, Rickert said in a statement he posted on his website. We anticipate that he will be cleared to resume normal team activities within a few days.
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Later Friday evening, Rickert tweeted that Patterson could return in a week, a day after the Eagles' preseason opener against Baltimore (which is an off day).
Update: Docs are eying a retun (sic) of next Friday for MikePatterson
Earlier Friday however, Rickert told ESPN that Patterson on Saturday was to see a neurologist Saturday who could clear him to return.
Nevertheless, Patterson returned to Lehigh Friday afternoon and he felt good but declined to answer questions. He spoke briefly with head coach Andy Reid before the teams afternoon practice, retrieved his cell phone and discussed the next step with Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder, which is to visit team internist Dr. Gary Dorshimer and start formulating a plan on second opinions.
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When Patterson will return to practice is uncertain.
I told you, were going to slow-play this thing and be thorough in our answer and our search for a treatment program. That search has started today, Burkholder said. Were not going to estimate any time lost with this guy or return to play time.
He wants to play. Heck, he would have practiced this afternoon if we would have let him. Thats normal. Thats why hes a great player in the National Football League. Hes got great drive and all that kind of stuff. As the guy whos responsible for Mike, Ive got to pull the reins back and make sure were thorough, and we know exactly what we have before we turn him back.
Burkholder doesnt expect it to happen within the next few days.
Its Friday afternoon, so this process isnt going to go very fastSaturday, Sundayeven though hes an NFL player, and a high-profile case, he said. Were going to have to go into next week.
Given that Patterson returned to Lehigh only two days after suffering a seizure, Burkholder is optimistic, albeit cautiously.
Oh, its very optimistic, Burkholder said. Unbelievable to see him today, smiling. The guys saw him. I havent been very emotional about the situation until I saw him today. Were all upbeat that hes out, walking around and wants to play football again. And we want to get him to make sure he can safely live his life and play footballif thats what he wants to do and thats what the doctors say is safe for him.
Patterson, who has played more games in an Eagles uniform than anybody else on the current roster, suffered a seizure during practice that Burkholder said Thursday was likely caused by the brain AVM.
Our doctors, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Dr. Dorshimer believe its an AVM, Burkholder said. We believe that in all likelihoodand theres no way to prove itit caused the seizure.
Rickert said Friday afternoon on ESPN that when Patterson sought a second opinion on what caused the seizure, two doctors were not convinced of the AVM diagnosis.
One of the opinions that came out early from one of the doctors that was communicated by the Eagles was a condition that we now know of as AVM, and that was an immediate concern, he said. But the first thing we did was, we sought out the opinion of other medical expertswe brought in two other expertsand they said theyre not ready to conclude that thats what he has.
They do think that its a possibility. Theyre not ruling it out. But theyre not saying that thats what he has.
More should be known after Saturday's visit.
We have a neurologist hes going to see regarding the seizure, were going to see him Saturday, and based on that neurologists opinion, he has the ability to clear Mike to return to team activities, Rickert said. So tomorrows appointment with Mike is very critical.
He was anxious to get back with his teammates. Even that he cant participate fully in camp, he misses the camaraderie, loves being around the guys and part of resuming normal life was getting back with his team and getting back in the playbook. He wants to get back on the field as soon as he gets medically cleared to do so.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com