Peter F. DeLuca, M.D., and Paul A. Marchetto, M.D., both with the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, are team physicians for the Philadelphia Eagles. In their own words, learn more about their work for the Eagles and why they enjoy it.

Q — How long have you been team physician for the Eagles?

Dr. DeLuca: I began with the Eagles in 1997 as an assistant team orthopaedist. In 2002, Head Coach Andy Reid approached me and offered me the position of head team physician and head team orthopaedic surgeon. I organized a team of physicians that included an ophthalmologist, podiatrist, and chiropractor, and asked Dr. Paul Marchetto to assist me with game-day responsibilities.

Dr. Marchetto: I have been the Eagles team orthopaedic surgeon since 2002.

Q — What are the different services you provide for the team?

Dr. DeLuca: When I first started in 1997, as an assistant, I thought the job was easy. As an assistant, your only responsibility is to bring players in for X-rays during a majority of the games. So for me from 1997 to 2002 the seasons lasted from August to December. Little did I know that once I became the head team physician the job was year round.

The NFL season begins with the Scouting Combine every February held in Indianapolis. At the Combine, a team of physicians from the Eagles examines ALL 350 prospective college athletes who hope to make it into the NFL. Once the Combine is over, I personally review all diagnostic studies (MRI, CT scans, etc.) of these future draft picks. After reviewing all the data, I give each player a final grade. The week before the draft, the physicians and athletic trainers meet with Andy Reid, the scouting department, and Mr. Jeffery Laurie. At this meeting, I review all my findings with the entire staff and this serves as a piece of the decision-making process in completing the draft board.

The beginning of March starts the free agent season. I am notified 24 hours in advance that I must be available to examine this athlete. I quickly try to gather as much information that I can regarding their injury history and try to schedule diagnostic studies (MRI, X-rays) because the free agent is only allowed to be in Philadelphia for 24 hours as per NFL rules. After I examine the athlete and review the studies, I then report my findings directly to Andy Reid. After the draft and once the preliminary roster is complete, we perform physical examinations on all the players. From April to June, the team holds mini-camps and even though I do not have to be present at the practices, I must be available at any time to evaluate injured players.

The season picks up when training camp opens in July. Our sports medicine fellows stay at Lehigh University and are present for all practices. I travel every other day to Lehigh to examine all injured players. Once the pre-season games start and into the regular season and playoffs, I provide coverage for all home and away games. When a player is injured on the field, I run out with the athletic trainers to first evaluate the player. At that time, I make an initial diagnosis and a decision is made whether the player can walk off the field or the injury is too severe and the player needs to be taken off on a cart and brought into the locker room for further testing. I perform another, more complete examination on the sideline or in the locker room. With the head athletic trainer, we make the decision whether or not the player can continue to participate safely.

The day after every game, I evaluate all injured players and order and review all studies at the NovaCare facility. Along with the athletic trainers, we outline a treatment plan for the athlete. I re-examine the players two other days during the week. After all of these evaluations, three times a week, I sit down with Andy Reid, Rick Burkholder, the head athletic trainer, and we decide who will be able to play in the next game.

But my responsibilities do not end with the players. I am on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week for all problems with the coaches, families, children, and the entire staff who works for the Eagles’ organization. I will perform surgery on the players who choose to stay in Philadelphia for their care, or I will assist them in getting other opinions.

Q — What is the No. 1 goal of a team physician?

Dr. DeLuca: The term “team physician” is somewhat of a misnomer because the physician is an advocate for the player, not the team. The role of the physician is to maintain the health and safety of the athlete.

Q — What do you enjoy most about the role?

Dr. DeLuca: It is very rewarding to see that you had a role in restoring an injured athlete back to their pre-injury state. The most rewarding and satisfying experience for me happened in 1998.

I was the team physician for the Philadelphia Phantoms and Philadelphia Flyers from 1997 to 2005 and still serve as an orthopaedic consultant for the Phantoms and Flyers performing all their shoulder and knee surgeries. In January of 1998, then captain of the Phantoms, John Stevens, tore his ACL. It was toward the end of his career and the team looked like a contender for the championship. John was devastated. I performed an ACL reconstruction and through John’s dedication to hard work, he returned for the playoffs and the Phantoms won the Calder Cup. In the locker room, during all the celebration, John approached me and gave me a big hug and said, “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be enjoying this championship with my team.” That’s why I do what I do.

Dr. Marchetto: Being a team physician is a privilege and a pleasure. In the past I have worked with the 76ers, the Flyers, the Phantoms, and the Rage. Professional sports are exhilarating and demanding in the manner in which the injuries occur and the rehabilitation that needs to take place. The players are at the peak of their physical prowess and motivated to return to the field. This is the purpose of sports medicine: working with athletes, professional or leisure pursuit, to keep them in top shape to remain in the game. I love the challenge.

The Eagles are an exceptional organization, incredibly organized, and highly supportive of the players, staff, and team physicians. The Lauries and Coach Reid are a pleasure to work with and they understand the importance of a healthy team.

Q — Why did you choose to specialize in sports medicine?

Dr. DeLuca: Growing up I played all different sports. In high school, I played football, ice hockey, and baseball. In college, I played baseball. But like most athletes, I had my share of injuries, a fractured clavicle twice and numerous shoulder dislocations. I was always grateful for the physicians who put me back on the field. Because of my love for sports and my skill in medicine, it only seemed logical to pursue a career in sports medicine. Treating athletes who are willing to take an active role in their care and treatment is refreshing. I have dedicated myself to taking care of athletes of all ages and sports. I cover many high school football games in New Jersey. I have been team physician for the Camden Riversharks, the Philadelphia Rage, and the Philadelphia Kixx.

The greatest advancement in this field of medicine has been the technology and instrumentation utilized in arthroscopic procedures. We are performing surgery now through small incisions that in the past required a large incision and long hospital stays with high complication rates. The athletes are returning faster from these arthroscopic procedures.

The heartbeat of being a sports medicine physician is being able to treat high school athletes. They play for the love of the game and want to compete despite injury. I enjoy the interaction with the student-athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, and parents. It is flattering when high school athletes, who you have treated, tell you that they are pursuing a career in sports medicine because of the care I provided for them.

Dr. Marchetto: Sports medicine was a relatively new field when I finished my orthopaedic training. I chose to specialize in sports medicine because of the immediate gratification I get from working with people who are highly motivated to return to the “action.” We have developed and continue to improve our techniques and technologies that repair joint, muscle, and tendon damage resulting from sports injuries as well as injuries experienced in daily living.

Sports medicine has always been dynamic in the treatment of sports injuries. We treat our patients with both physical therapy and/or surgery as appropriate, getting them back into the action in as short a time as possible. When I started my practice, we would make a 6-inch incision across the knee to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament and have a rehabilitation period of one year.

Today we do the same reconstruction using arthroscopic techniques with three small incisions, with minimal disruption of tissue and muscle. Now the patient can be back on the field in a much shorter period of time.

With the motivation of returning an injured athlete back to play safely, whether professional or weekender, we have developed protocols that allow the injured joint to be protected without allowing the muscles around the joint to become atrophied. This approach has been so beneficial to our patients that other specialties have incorporated it into their treatment protocols.

Q — Do you have time to enjoy the game, the atmosphere, and working with players?

Dr. DeLuca: Game-day is typically filled with much tension. Once the game starts, I try to concentrate on the field. I like to see how an injury occurs because it helps me formulate a quick diagnosis. The crowd noise can be deafening, especially in domed stadiums, but when I am evaluating a player I do not hear a sound. When there are times that I am not treating an injured athlete, I find myself cheering and screaming on the sideline like any other fan.

I was chosen three times as a team physician for the NFC at the Pro Bowl held in Hawaii. That is one game where the physician can enjoy the picturesque surroundings and festive atmosphere.

Dr. Marchetto: Professional football is a very dynamic, exciting, and intense sport. While we do enjoy the competition of the game, we are watching not only as enthusiasts and fans, but more importantly, the action on the field and where the players are hit. This provides important information on the diagnosis and allows the physicians to work as a team to treat all the injuries. We have a great relationship with the players, trainers, and coaches and are proud to be part of the support team.

The atmosphere at the games is electric, especially at home games when the fans are on their feet cheering and literally shaking the stadium with their energy. It is an unbelievable feeling when you are on the field sharing that excitement with the players.

When not with the Eagles, what other types of patients and injuries do you see at the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University?

Dr. DeLuca: I see patients of all ages from 13 years of age and older who have either a sports-related injury or a problem from overuse or degeneration. Most sports-related injuries are treated nonsurgically with a rehabilitation program, and I will outline that program similar to what I do with the Eagles. Most shoulder problems respond to nonsurgical treatments. My surgical specialty is performing advanced arthroscopic procedures for the shoulder and knee. These include rotator cuff repairs, labral repairs of the shoulder, ACL reconstructions, and meniscal ligament surgery.

Dr. Marchetto: At the Rothman Institute, we are fortunate to have the highest quality, most experienced orthopaedists as a team of physicians. We represent all areas of orthopaedics and are each able to specialize in one area of expertise.

As a sports medicine specialist, I typically see patients who have sustained injuries to their knees or shoulders. I see many young athletes from the regions’ high schools and colleges. I am the team physician for many schools in southern New Jersey and the Philadelphia area. In addition, I see their parents, siblings, and family friends who may have sustained their injuries through an active lifestyle. I also have senior patients who continue to run, play tennis, golf, or who may have been injured in their own backyard working in the garden.

Again, as a sports medicine specialist, my goal is to get people back to the activities they love through the most efficient therapeutic treatment possible.