I know- I’ve heard it my whole life. Everybody hates us Philadelphia Eagle fans; we’re loud, we’re impatient, we’re rude and ignorant, etc… We can discuss the degree to which that is true another time, but today, I’m asking all the haters to call timeout! The Eagle organization is full of people who have overcome major setbacks, demonstrated impressive resiliency, and achieved great success. They’re worth knowing about- whether you like the team (or their fans) or not!

So please, put away your hate long enough to read these inspirational stories. Afterwards, you’ll still be free to cheer against The Birds in this weekend’s Super Bowl and to hate us fans, if you must.

Mekhi Becton- Offensive Guard
Becton, originally a tackle, was the 11th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft and was expected to have a huge career with the New York Jets. But he suffered several serious injuries and, when he finally got healthy in 2023, didn’t play well. With his contract up, the Jets weren’t interested, but the Eagles signed him to a one year deal with the idea that he would be a back-up. At this year’s training camp, Becton was offered a chance to fill in at guard until the projected starter recovered from an injury. But by the time that happened, Becton had won the job himself; new position – no problem!

Jordan Mailata- Offensive Tackle
Mailata was a very good rugby player in his home country of Australia, and was potentially a rising star. He caught the attention of the NFL, which offered him a spot in their International Player Pathway Program. Mailata took a chance, flying half way around the world at age 20 to play a sport he new nothing about. That was back in 2018. Today, Mailata is regarded as one of the best tackles in the league and only the 2nd player known to have made the NFL without any high school or college experience. He’s also a really good musician!

Zach Baun- Linebacker
Baun’s career started out in New Orleans where he struggled to get on the field during his first 4 years. Similar to Becton’s story, the Eagles picked him up on a 1 year contract, not knowing how much he could add to the team. Defensive coach Vic Fangio saw something in Baun at training camp and asked him to try playing inside linebacker instead of his usual outside position. Something clicked! Baun rose quickly to the starting line-up, is a team leader, made the All- Pro team, and is also up for the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Jalen Hurts- Quarterback
As a sophomore, Hurts was benched at halftime of the college championship game, and despite his success both before and after that incident, he has constantly been doubted; accused of not being good enough, not being an accurate passer, etc…. But after getting drafted by the Eagles in the 2nd round (2020), he has led them to the playoffs in each of the full seasons he’s started since 2021, including 2 trips to the Super Bowl. He just doesn’t listen to the haters. Statistically, his work speaks for itself; especially his 46-20 record as a starter. When you listen to him speak in interviews, you’ll hear a young man in his 20’s that speaks with the wisdom and maturity of someone who’s been through some stuff, learned from it, and came out stronger on the other side.

Isaiah Rogers- Cornerback
Rogers was playing for the Indianapolis Colts when he got suspended for 1 full season for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. As Rogers admits, it was a stupid mistake. The Colts released Rogers that same day, and a few months later the Eagles signed him, even though he could not play games, practice, or communicate with the team for about a year. Grateful for the hope and potential of a new opportunity with Philadelphia, Rogers disciplined himself to maintain a daily, at-home, workout and football schedule that mimicked what the Eagles would typically do. He was not expected to be much more than a third stringer when training camp started this year, but he came in ready to play. As injuries have struck at his position, Rogers is getting significant playing time and has risen to the occasion with strong play.

Howie Roseman- General Manager
Isaiah Rogers and Howie Roseman have something in common- they both struggled through a yearlong exile. In Howie’s case, it happened in 2015 after losing a power struggle with then head coach Chip Kelly. I’m not sure what exactly Roseman did for work during that odd year, but he was still employed by the team. When 2016 came around, the Eagles had hired a new coach and Howie returned from exile to build the first Eagle team ever to win a Super Bowl (2017). Since then, the team has been a perennial contender and Roseman is widely credited for acquiring the players that have enabled them to be one of the best franchises in the league over the past decade. He is also highly respected for his ability to manage finances with the NFL’s salary cap. When asked what he did during his year away, Roseman often uses words like reflect, reimagine, evaluate and discern.

Nick Sirianni- Head Coach
After going to the Super Bowl in 2022 and starting last season at 10-1, the Eagles ended 2023 with the biggest collapse in the team’s nearly 100 year history. Sirianni took responsibility for the bad decisions that led to the debacle, and many fans, including me, thought he deserved to be fired. But the players defended him and the owner gave him another chance. Sirianni reflected on his situation, restructured his coaching staff, tweaked his approach, and returned this year to lead the team to another excellent season. His story reminds us that we are all capable of reinvention, and that we shouldn’t be afraid to move on from approaches that don’t work, even if they once did.

On the one hand, you would expect these sorts of stories to be plentiful in a demographic where every single person is among the best in the world at their profession, just by virtue of being in the NFL at all. But in a way that misses the point.

We may not all be able to be great football players, but we can all learn from the examples of these Eagles when things get tough or don’t work out for us in our lives. Resilience, grit, determination and perseverance are the same in any aspect of life.

So go ahead and hate us Eagle fans if you need to- but don’t overlook the power of the human spirit that these Eagle examples have shown.

GO BIRDS!!

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