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Before the trade between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles involving players Adrian Robinson and Felix Jones becomes official, both players must receive medical clearance from their new employers.
Even though the @steelers and @Eagles have agreed to the Jones/Robinson trade, it is not official until both players pass physicals.
— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) August 23, 2013
Robinson has been in good enough shape to participate in all of Pittsburgh's off-season programs, training camp and preseason games. He recovered a fumble for a touchdown against the New York Giants in the team's first exhibition game of the summer.
Jones has had several health issues during his career, most recently dealing with hamstring and rib issues. Jones had his rookie season cut short by a torn ligament tied to a hamstring injury. An ankle injury forced him to miss four games in 2011, which led to the emergence of DeMarco Murray. Jones had shoulder surgery which forced him to miss the off-season programs of the Dallas Cowboys in 2012.
If health is of any concern to the Steelers, Jones will be heavily scrutinized during his physical. John Moffitt was the NFL's most recent example of a physical affecting the outcome of a trade, after a failed physical voided his trade from the Seattle Seahawks to the Cleveland Browns. Moffitt was immediately traded then to the Denver Broncos, whose physical Moffitt either passed or did not have to take.
If the Steelers feel they have received damaged goods in Jones, he will be shipped back to Philadelphia and Robinson will return to Pittsburgh.
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