Eagles lose Ben VanSumeren to knee injury as opener turns chaotic against Cowboys

The Philadelphia Eagles’ season opener against the Dallas Cowboys quickly spiraled into a nightmare. On the opening kickoff, fullback Ben VanSumeren went down with a knee injury and was carted off the field. The team later confirmed that VanSumeren was ruled out for the remainder of the game.Ben VanSumeren, who carved out his role on special teams, appeared to suffer the injury while covering the first play of the game. Medical staff attended to him on the field before he was helped onto a cart, leaving teammates and fans concerned. Over the past two seasons, VanSumeren appeared in 20 games and recorded 16 tackles. He also registered one tackle in his lone postseason outing, making him a dependable presence in the Eagles’ depth chart.The timing of his exit couldn’t have been worse for Philadelphia, as his absence weakened special teams rotations immediately. For a defending Super Bowl champion, every roster piece matters—especially in a high-stakes NFC East rivalry opener.As VanSumeren was being tended to, the Eagles were hit with more bad news. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected after appearing to spit on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the lull in play. The penalty gave Dallas favorable field position, which they capitalized on with a go-ahead touchdown drive.Also Read: Eagles’ Jalen Carter ejected just six seconds into opener for spitting on Dak PrescottThe sequence left Philadelphia scrambling early in a game that was supposed to set the tone for their title defense. Losing a trusted special teamer and a Pro Bowl lineman within minutes underscored how quickly momentum can swing in the NFL—especially when emotions run high in one of football’s fiercest rivalries.