AJ Dillon says he has no concerns with neck injury that held him out the entire 2024 season

After missing the entirety of the 2024 season due to a neck injury, running back AJ Dillon has found a new home with the Philadelphia Eagles and is ready to make an impact in his return to the field.

“We met with specialists from the East Coast, West Coast, everywhere. We’re good to go. Got the green light,” AJ Dillon said in a Zoom call with Eagles media Friday. “So I’m excited to get here, play ball, and continue to be a part of what’s been some dominance in Philly.”

AJ Dillon signed a one-year contract to join the Eagles after spending five years in Green Bay, the last of which saw him watch his team from the sidelines after a neck stinger took him out before the season even began. Now with a clean bill of health, Dillon will be joining last season’s No. 2 rushing offense, looking to retain the RB2 role he had with the Packers.

>> Buy Philly Sports Apparel at the TLL Online Shop

Dillon averaged 15 games played per campaign in his time in Green Bay — excluding the missed 2024 season — but only started a total of 11. Operating in that second-string position, Dillon nevertheless made his presence felt, recording 2,186 rushing yards between 2021-2023. The last of those years ended prematurely due to a cervical neck stinger, the same injury that also popped up in 2024.

With recurring neck injuries, there’s always a concern that it could force a player out of football, a possibility AJ Dillon said he considered seriously during his year of recovery. But in the end, he got the go-ahead to return to play and doesn’t anticipate it being a problem going forward.

“Originally, when you get that kind of news, you always want to be cautious, make sure you’re ticking all your boxes, doing all the proper checks and balances,” he said. “But I got all the green lights, so I’m feeling good.

“I don’t feel any residual effects or anything like that. So it’s one of those things that you just work through, get back, and here I am. I’m in Philly, and I’m gonna make the most of it.”

AJ Dillon Adds Power to Eagles’ Backfield

Its kind of annoying how people forget the trajectory AJ Dillon was on before he got hurt. Also annoying because he’s only 26. The guy can still play pic.twitter.com/NQYOBKasCN

— JAKE ELLENBOGEN (@JKBOGEN) March 11, 2025

Trading one green jersey for another, the man known as “Quadzilla” will look to provide a strong complement to reigning NFL rushing champion Saquon Barkley, another back known for his impressive lower-body strength.

Barkley accounted for the vast majority of the Eagles’ ground production in 2024, eclipsing the 2,000-yard rushing mark in the regular season and tacking on 499 more yards and five touchdowns during Philly’s journey to a Super Bowl LIX win.

Kenneth Gainwell operated as the primary backup when Barkley took a breather, accumulating 290 yards on 75 carries. With Gainwell moving on to the Steelers in free agency and the other three backs currently on the roster combining for just 89 yards last season, the opportunity is there for AJ Dillon to claim that open role.

“As far as my role and how I can help, really, the way I approach the game, the way I play football, I’m just excited to go out there every time and make the most of every opportunity,” Dillon said. “What that looks like, how it is done—as long as I’m in the right place, doing the right things, being accountable, I’m good. I’m having a great time. So I’ll let my game, I’ll let all that stuff speak for itself.

“But I’m excited to get started.”