J-Mac Returns Healthy, Happy in NFL Opener

Even when the NFL lockout was lifted, Jeremy Maclin wasn’t ready to play.

The Kirkwood native and former football star acquired an illness over the summer that was never disclosed. The mystery ailment, rumored in mid-August to be mononucleosis, kept the former University of Missouri star out of training camp.

Maclin, drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft, missed most of the preseason because of the illness. When Maclin entered Sunday’s regular-season opener against his hometown St. Louis Rams, it was his first game action since last season’s first-round playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers.

“I felt fine,” Maclin said following Sunday’s 31-13 victory over the Rams. “My legs are fresh. It wasn’t anything of that aspect. I was just happy to be out there.”

And happy that his first game of the 2011 season was in St. Louis.

“It feels good,” said Maclin, who caught 125 passes in his first two seasons for 1,726 yards and 14 touchdowns. “It was an opportunity for some of my family to come out and see me play. I could really hear them. You’re kind of zoned in, but it was pretty cool, it was pretty neat. I’m just happy to be back out there playing football.”

While Eagles teammate DeSean Jackson did most of the damage catching passes from Pro Bowl quarterback Michael Vick, Maclin did get some balls thrown his way. Jackson had a game-high six receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown. Maclin was targeted three times, but caught just one pass for 20 yards.

After the game, there wasn’t much time to mingle with family. After all, the NFL season is under way and the trip back to his hometown was a business trip for Maclin and his Philadelphia teammates.

“I’ll go out and see (family) here when I go out to the bus,” Maclin said following the game at the Edward Jones Dome.

From the bus, it’s to the airport and back to the City of Brotherly Love. A Week 2 road game against the Atlanta Falcons awaits.