KANSAS CITY, Mo. - From the Gridiron at the House of Orange in Beatrice and the fields of Gage County, to Arrowhead Stadium and the NFL.

Cam Jurgens is climbing the ranks of the big leagues and played a professional game closer to home than he ever has before as the Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. The trip back to the midwest served as a homecoming for the Pickrell native.

“It’s fun,” Beth Jurgens, Cam’s mother, said. “It’s also nice to see friends and relatives from around home show up and we’ve got a lot of friends from Philadelphia with us here a the tailgate so it’s really special.”

Cam’s mom Beth, and dad Ted, had over 40 friends and family at their tailgate before the Super Bowl LVII rematch - something Cam said left him speechless, knowing it’s the closest he’ll ever play a game to home in the NFL.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Jurgens said. “I grew up in southeast Nebraska. This is the closest I’m ever going to be… To see the support and everybody, hearing everybody that was making the trip down to come support, it means a lot.”

At the beginning of the year, Jurgens took on the role of being the Eagles’ starting right guard, but suffered a foot injury in the clubs week four matchup with Washington. He would miss the next five games, making Monday his first game back since Oct. 1.

“That’s a long time off,” Jurgens said. “I feel like I haven’t played all year now. But it feels good to come back here with the guys and get a win.”

Jurgens is in his second year in the league and praises much of his success to the veterans in the Eagles organization. With six-time pro bowl center Jason Kelce next to him on the line, Jurgens says he’s had one of the best teachers he could have asked for. But not just because of Kelce, but the entire O-Line room.

“From the first day I got here, everybody has helped… The culture in the O-Line room is incredible,” Jurgens said. “It’s easy to come in here, work hard, be who I am… everyone embraces me and we work hard and get taught hard, have a great coach. It’s a great room to be a part of.”

Someone who has recognized Jurgens’ growth is offensive tackle Jordan Mailata.

“I think he has no option, but to develop at a quick rate,” Mailata said. “I think that’s because of the standard set in that room, when you have veterans like Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson, the bar is high and that doesn’t include coach Stoutland’s bar... They put him in the deep end of the pool, he’s adapted well, he’s taken the coaching on.”

But before Jurgens was a starter in the NFL, he was a multi-year starter for the Huskers. He even has a former Husker teammate in Jack Stoll in the tight end room on offense.

Jurgens says he still keeps tabs on the football in Lincoln.

“Always rooting for them,” Jurgens said. “I watch every game I can. Still know quite a few guys on the team. I trained back in Nebraska in offseason, got to meet a bunch of the coaches and sated and love the direction they’re heading.”

Mr. And Mrs. Jurgens have much to be proud of when it comes to what Cam has accomplished, but nothing makes them prouder then all of their kids, and how they’ve managed to stay connected.

“We couldn’t be happier for all three of them,” Beth Jurgens said. “All that they’ve done on the field and off the field.”

And to cap off a perfect homecoming for Jurgens, the Eagles topped the Chiefs 21-17 to improve to 9-1 on the year, sitting atop the NFC standings.