Eagles: Patterson OK after seizure
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Eagles: Patterson OK after seizure
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
BETHELEHEM, Pa. --
UPDATE:
After practice the Eagles said Mike Patterson had a seizure that lasted about four minutes, but was now alert and stable, even joking with staff at Lehigh Valley Hospital.
Head trainer Rick Burkholder said Patterson had no medical history that would have led to a seizure, and that the defensive tackle was undergoing tests. He would not speculate on what may have caused the seizure, although a team source said it was because of dehydration.
"He's absolutely alert, stable, totally communicating with everybody, to the point where he's joking a little bit," Burkholder said. "We won't speculate what happened to him other than he had a seizure. They'll do all the testing at Lehigh Valley Hospital to determine why he had the seizure."
Later on, defensive tackle Antonio Dixon said that Patterson had texted a few teammates that he was OK and that he called the defensive line group.
"He called to say he was doing well," Dixon said. "He was alert and said to the d-line don't worry about him he's doing good."
Patterson lacerated his tongue and the blood caused a stir from the defensive line players, Burkholder said.
Patterson was still undergoing a battery of tests in the afternoon and was expected to spend the night at the hospital. He was being observed by neurological doctors who had determined that he had no blood on the brain.
His wife was at the hospital with him.
FROM EARLIER:
Eagles defensive tackle Mike Patterson was taken off the field at training camp after he went into convulsions on Wednesday.
Patterson, along with the rest of the Eagles defensive linemen, was getting ready to start one-on-ones against the offensive line when he started to shake violently and fell to the ground. Eagles coach Andy Reid was nearby and immediately started screaming for the training staff.
As Eagles trainers worked on Patterson several other defensive linemen became visibly upset. Some knelt down and held hands. Patterson was motionless for a few moments, but then started to move his extremities. It was unclear if he was unconscious beforehand or not.
An ambulance arrived approximately ten minutes later. Eagles rookie guard Danny Watkins, a former firefighter, assisted the medical staff as Patterson was transferred onto a stretcher. The ambulance left five minutes later, bound for Lehigh Valley Hospital, according to a team spokesman.
Patterson is entering his seventh season and is one of the longest tenured Eagles. He was the Eagles No. 1 pick in 2005 out of Southern Cal. The 6-foot-1, 300-pound Patterson has never missed a game because of injury.
-- In other Eagles news, defensive tackle Trevor Laws was carted off the field after an apparent knee injury.
-- Jeremy Maclin, who reported to camp on Tuesday after missing the first five days due to a unspecified illness, was at practice but did not participate.
Did he have a history of these types of things?
— firefatandy- It's a real shame Sportsline.com had this 5 minutes ago.— exrec9
- First of all, hope that Patterson is ok an recovers quickly.
Now, Exrec9:
A man collapses and your first thought is to heckle a reporter for not updating his blog fast enough? That's really all you can think about? If you're so desperate for immediate news, McLane was reporting it on Twitter as it happened.
— JettMartinez - @jettmartinez right on. You beat me to it.— robsophila
- Not good. Difficult to suggest what it might be based on the limited info provided here, but regardless this is obviously a very bad thing.
Jett - I think exrec9 was saying that its a shame that this happened and that he first read it on sportsline before reading it here— DrM - Do we still have Bunkley! NO— urbnasty
- Exrec9- are you a first responder who could have helped had you known sooner?— kazoob
- Get well Mike. I hope you're okay too Trevor.— cletisvandam
- Jett you are absolutely correct and to all I apologize. I had just read all of the news on Philly.com/sports that I always do then go to Sportsline. Was just surprised that it was there first. (some of us can't get twitter at work)
All stupidity aside from my side:
I truly hope that he is ok. My thoughts and prayers are for a speedy recovery.— exrec9 - Get well Mike! Better bring these guys along slow! Hope Laws injuries is not serious. Wow no 76ers and the Phils and Eagles news. What a great year to be in Philly.— Zeedog
- Just an update from my side....A friend of mine who gets news pretty quickly said that Patterson was texting from the hospital that he is ok (what OK means will obviously come out soon).— exrec9
- Practicng in the Mid-Summer heat is always risky. A Minnesota Viking died at a workout about four years ago and a Cardinals tight end died after a summer workout about 1979 or 1980. Then last week Richard Harris, a Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman from 1971 to 1973, died after a Summer practice, after standing out in the heat all afternoon while conducting a practice as defensive line coach for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.
As far as the length and intensity of these summer workouts it's always beter to err on the side of caution.— D.K.O. 
Comment removed.- Hopefully it was just dehydration but they are being cautious.— oharabri
- This could be a sign of severe dehydration or a heat stroke. With the immediate care he recieved he'll be OK and back this afternoon if that's what it was.— mikegdj
- pft says he is texting from the hospital and he is fine. says it was dehydration.— chadp1234
- Comment removed.
- Get well Mike!— ej610
- Atta boy Danny. Nice to have a first responder on the team!— blueye7
- Really exrec9. Are you even the slightest bit human? Here's to hoping he'll be okay. Scarey stuff...— Grazman
Sounds like he'll be ok, though I'm sure it was very scary for everyone involved. More concerned now with Laws....— Elbarad- I wonder if it is from a head injury or from an excessive and sudden rise in body temperature?
- he didnt have a convulsion. he was planking— Evil Overlord
- exrec9,you manned up and apologized for your comments, so I am cool with you. all the other posers on here just let it go.— antmry312
- Wait, fatty firefighter is from baylor I thought, not USC?— fongers
- Patterson can take the preseason off and star the first game with his experience.— Joe at the shore
- Two players and a coach have died during this heatwave from heat related injuries:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/08/03/heat/index.html?hpt=hp_bn1— Bruce in PA 
not the kindof news I want to hear. I met Mike once, real good guy. Hes fortunate that he didnt end up like Corey Stringer so I will take it as good news now. Way to pull through Mike. I have full confidence you will put in some work this season.
