Eagles DT Mike Patterson could return to action Sunday after suffering a brain injury that kept him sidelined for several months. (US Presswire)

Eagles DTMike Patterson hasn’t played football since January. He doesn’t know what to expect if he gets to play on Monday night in New Orleans -- and he really doesn’t care.

“Just to be out there playing, that’s the big thing,’’ Patterson said on Thursday. “After all I’ve been through I didn’t know if I’d get back out on the field this season and that was my main goal all along. Now it looks like I will, and that’s all I can ask for right now.”

Patterson had off-season brain surgery to repair tangled blood vessels in his head. He played with the condition last season and played well, and he was hoping to be ready for the season-opener this season after his surgery. But doctors decided he needed to stay away from contact for a while and Patterson sat out all of training camp, all of the preseason and the first seven games of the regular season.

He returned to limited practice last week but he’s not limited at all this week. Coach Andy Reid said there’s a decent chance Patterson will suit up against the Saints on Monday night.
“I'll work Michael into the rotation with the players and just see how he feels working with that first and second group,” Reid said. “He felt good last week.”

Patterson is on the non-football injury list, which means he can practice between Weeks 6 and 9 and can be added to the 53-man active roster during that that time. If he’s not activated by then he must go on injured reserve and miss the rest of the season.

“I've got another week, so if I don't feel comfortable with how he's feeling, then we can go from there,” Reid said. “But he feels good right now.”

Patterson said that after waiting more than three months he can wait another week.

“I’ve been pretty patient with this and I’m usually not a patient person,’’ Patterson said. “But this isn’t like a sprained ankle or knee. I wasn’t going to push it until I got the green light and now it looks like I’m going to get it.”

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