Cody Parkey Is Still Working His Way Back
PHILADELPHIA, PA (CBS) — The boyish face is still there. That hasn't changed. But there is something different about Eagles' kicker Cody Parkey, who missed most of last year when he suffered a tear in three of the five muscles in his groin during the Eagles-Jets game on Sept. 27, 2015.
There is an undercurrent to Parkey, who during his rookie season made 32 of 36 field goals, including going 4-for-4 from 50-plus yards, in 2014. Then there were signs things didn't seem to be right. In the Eagles' season-opening 26-24 loss to Atlanta, he missed a 44-yarder.
It was discovered Parkey had been kicking hurt. Parkey was done for the season and the Eagles brought in Caleb Sturgis who finished 2015 making 18-of-22 attempts.
Parkey and Sturgis are now in a battle for a job.
And though the 24-year-old Parkey may still look like he needs to be carded each time he goes out, he's not going to let go that easily. His face isn't marked up but he's a fighter.
"I feel good," Parkey said. "I had surgery in December and I was feeling good a couple of weeks after later. The hardest part is trusting [the injury won't return], so I'm getting back into a rhythm. I'm getting the rust off, but it's a lot different kicking with a live hold and a live snap.
"I definitely feel I did better today than I did yesterday, and I'm definitely looking forward to getting better every day," Parkey said. "I don't recall when I began kicking again [after the surgery], and I would say I feel 100-percent, I feel really good.
"I don't think I have anything to prove. All I can say is I go out and give it my best. That's all I can do."
