Eagles' Pederson says coaches' tape doesn't show what happened when Fletcher Cox injured Joe Staley
The NFL is investigating the play that led to an orbital fracture for the 49ers tackle.
If you're thinking the all-22 tape of Sunday's Eagles-49ers game, not yet widely available to the public, will bring clarity to whatever Fletcher Cox did to 49ers offensive tackle Joe Staley that the NFL is investigating, Doug Pederson indicated Monday that won't be the case.
"I have seen it. … It's hard to even see on the coach's copy exactly what had happened," Pederson said. Staley suffered a broken orbital bone and stayed overnight in a Philadelphia hospital, apparently as a result of Cox reaching out to him from behind early in Jalen Mills' interception return for a touchdown, just before halftime of the Eagles' 33-10 victory. "There was contact, obviously," Pederson said, "but it's so far away, it's hard to tell exactly."
Pederson said he hasn't talked to Cox about the play.
Staley went home Monday morning on a flight with several reporters who cover the 49ers, and he told them the injury was a result of a "cheap shot" from Cox.
There was no penalty called. ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted Monday that the league was reviewing the play for possible discipline, which could include a fine or even a suspension, if Cox were to be found to have done something really nefarious.
On the TV replay, Cox and Staley come into view at the bottom of the screen as Mills is returning his interception of a C.J. Beathard pass down the visiting sideline. Staley falls forward and Cox raises his hands in the air in an apparent "it wasn't me" gesture. Eventually, Mills cuts back toward the middle, gliding past Staley, who is writhing on the turf.
The ninersnation website showed a clip it said came from the all-22, and it showed pretty much what Pederson said. Cox's hand goes toward Staley's head, but there is little detail.
Staley, 33, is a five-time Pro Bowl left tackle whose name was mentioned by fans and reporters last week as a possible Eagles trade target, after Jason Peters went down with MCL and ACL sprains. The 49ers consider him the leader of their young offense, though, as the longest-tenured player on their team, in his 11th season, and don't seem eager to part with him. Also, he didn't seem to be playing particularly well against the Eagles before he went down with the injury.