Eagles, Fletcher Cox insist “illness” on injury report was legitimate

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Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox missed a day of practice last week with what the team termed an illness. When it was revealed that the day before, Cox had confronted a man who was trying to break into his house, looking for an ex-girlfriend who was staying with Cox, questions were raised about whether the Eagles were lying on the injury report and used an illness as a cover story because Cox was trying to keep his real reasons for missing a day of work private.

The Eagles and Cox insist, however, that he really was ill that day.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Cox told reporters that he woke up that morning throwing up, causing him to miss practice, and it had nothing to do with the incident at his home. He wouldn’t offer any further details.

“I’m here to talk about football, not my personal life,” Cox said.

Eagles coach Doug Pederson also said Cox’s absence was due to an illness, unrelated to the incident at his home.

The man Cox confronted at his home was later apprehended by police and was charged with burglary, two counts of criminal mischief and resisting arrest.