0:02

Eagles Entertainment.

0:08

Welcome Eagles Everywhere to the Eagles Insider Podcast

0:10

presented by Lincoln Financial Group. I'm

0:12

Eagles Insider Dave Spidero at the Novacare

0:15

Complex and maybe

0:17

it's the calm after the storm.

0:20

The NFL Draft twenty twenty three version

0:23

is over. The Eagles held a rookie

0:25

mini camp this past weekend and

0:28

there was no news and that's good news.

0:31

So Nick Sirianni and the coaching

0:33

staff really introducing the basics

0:36

to the twenty twenty three rookies and some selected

0:39

veterans and some tryout players.

0:41

There's no word that any of the tryout

0:43

players were signed to contracts.

0:45

Of course, will keep you up to date on that this

0:48

week.

0:48

The NFL schedule will be announced

0:51

Thursday night.

0:52

Is the expectation.

0:53

How many primetime games will

0:56

the Philadelphia Eagles have? What's

0:58

the maximum number? Because this team

1:00

is hot, hot, hot, and

1:02

not that it matters. And I wrote about this on

1:05

the Philadelphia Eagles dot com website

1:07

Official team, ap et cetera.

1:08

But the Power Poll, the power

1:11

rankings are out.

1:11

Peter King from Monday

1:14

Morning Quarterback Fame now he's

1:16

with Pro Football Talk, says

1:19

the Eagles are the number one team in the NFL,

1:21

and not a word of that mentioned

1:24

in an overcare complex, which I happen

1:26

to like nobody paying attention to

1:28

that kind of stuff, but it certainly is flattering

1:31

and the Eagles. Really it's an indication

1:33

of just how strong and off season this

1:35

football team has had. Now two of

1:37

the moves the Eagles made during the off season

1:40

were to reunite high school teammates.

1:43

Of course that wasn't the intent, but that

1:45

is the result. The

1:47

Eagles in free agency signing

1:50

wide receiver Olamidae Zikias,

1:53

well as he's known in an overcare complex OZ.

1:57

He's a Saint Joe's Prep graduate, went to Universe

2:00

Steve Virginia signed as

2:02

an undrafted rookie

2:04

with the Atlanta Falcons twenty nineteen,

2:07

and every single season his numbers

2:10

have gotten better and better and better. Three

2:13

catches as a rookie

2:15

allthough, we up to forty receptions

2:18

in twenty twenty two with the Falcons. Five

2:20

foot eight, one hundred and ninety three pounds

2:22

and a great story.

2:24

We will talk to him in just.

2:26

A few moments, but first, out

2:28

of Saint Joe's Prep and the city

2:30

of Philadelphia, you know a

2:33

player who for so many years, if

2:35

you lived in the area, you knew about him.

2:38

A star in high school, then he went

2:40

to Georgia, was a star there.

2:43

Then he went to the Detroit Lions round

2:45

two.

2:45

In the twenty twenty draft, and

2:49

he's been outstanding in the NFL as a running

2:51

back, as a receiver. He comes to

2:53

the Eagles day three of

2:55

the twenty twenty three NFL Draft. The Eagles

2:57

swing a trade and select, well

3:00

not select, They acquire DeAndre

3:03

Swift from the Detroit Lions. He

3:06

is now going to be the Eagles jersey

3:09

number zero. We

3:11

talked before the jersey

3:13

numbers were assigned, so this conversation

3:16

does not include his reasoning for being

3:18

number zero, but it certainly does include

3:21

all of the intentions that DeAndre

3:24

Swift has in this loaded

3:26

Eagles offense. So here we started

3:28

off with our Eagles Insider podcast presented

3:31

by Lincoln Financial Group, one on

3:33

one with Eagles running back receiver

3:37

weapon DeAndre Swift.

3:40

So here here's how it.

3:41

Worked in Philly on and around everybody

3:43

who's an Eagles fan on Saturday, DeAndre

3:46

Swifts and Eagle DeAndre Swifts and Eagle DeAndre

3:48

Swift and Eagle, and now he joins me here on the Eagles Insider

3:50

podcast presented by Lincoln Financial Group.

3:52

DeAndre Swift is an Eagle. So

3:55

how's it feel being a Philadelphia Eagle?

3:57

This is amazing, man, This is like a

3:59

dream come trus Like I'm getting

4:01

all these emotions.

4:02

Everything's coming full circle.

4:03

Man. It's it's it's a great opportunity to come

4:05

join the organization that's has

4:08

tremendous history, joined

4:10

the coach instead that I believe in everything that

4:13

they're implementing. And I'm just being in the

4:15

building these couple of days. I could just tell the teams

4:17

connect this about love here and just

4:19

I'm just excited just had this opportunity to get in here and

4:21

work with these guys.

4:22

Were you an Eagles fan growing up?

4:24

Yes, sir.

4:24

Were you a deep hardcore Eagles fan?

4:26

I wasn't. I used to always love to see the Eagles win.

4:28

I never had like a specific team always, but I'm

4:30

from the city, so I always love to see the Eagles

4:32

win.

4:33

It's weird football players sometimes aren't when you're kids,

4:35

like I guess you're so into the game that

4:37

you just love that game of football.

4:39

What what made you love the game of football.

4:42

My passion for the game started early.

4:45

I started at the age of five just getting

4:47

around the game of football. My uncle actually

4:50

was the head coach for the team called

4:52

Eon Eagles and uh in Mount area where

4:54

I'm from, so he kind of introduced me to me

4:56

to come out to the come out to the field or

4:58

whatever. Then my dad I got involved with

5:00

it and it's kind of snowball from there. And then

5:03

I just fell in love with the game at a young age and

5:05

it was just like my happy

5:07

place.

5:08

My piece with is the list today is the

5:11

game of football is amazing?

5:12

Always a running back or were your quarterbacks

5:15

that pop you kids? The

5:17

best player is always the quarterback. Is nobody can hand

5:19

the ball? Like, were you a quarterback to start?

5:20

No? I played everything when I was young, but

5:22

mostly running back. I played a lot of difference on the

5:25

defensive side of the ball when I was younger, play

5:28

receiver, slot receiver.

5:30

Just did a lot of different things when I was young.

5:31

When did you think you so?

5:33

I read something that there

5:35

was a time when you were a freshman at the prep you

5:38

were a little nervous if you didn't think you really would

5:40

make it as a as a varsity so

5:43

you overcame that what that means

5:45

to you, like in the big picture here.

5:47

It showed me early on that.

5:51

Allowed me to lock in, meaning like, let's

5:53

take it to the next level, like my first just being

5:56

able to play varsity football at a young age and

5:58

having success my first game. I remember

6:00

my first game was in Dollars against Dollars Jesuit

6:03

varsity.

6:04

I had a good game.

6:05

So after that, I just was

6:07

able to take my game to the next level from there,

6:09

and that made me understand like, Okay, I'm

6:12

good at this.

6:13

Had you have you ever had that indecision

6:15

and.

6:16

Never really had any doubt of my ability or anything

6:18

like that. It's just when you're in high school, you're

6:20

on varsity, you're in young in ninth grade, you're playing

6:22

against bigger, faster people. But I'm still

6:24

excelling, I'm still succeeding on the field.

6:26

So it's I knew I'm blessed.

6:28

I feel like.

6:29

You, like I feel like

6:31

you've always from the time that you started becoming

6:33

a big thing, everybody had you pegged

6:36

for starting in the NFL.

6:38

Pressure as a young guy.

6:40

I don't really think of it as pressure.

6:41

I'm beyond blessed to be in his position

6:44

to go out there and do what I love each day, and

6:47

I love the process of this man just just

6:49

going being able to work each day and just perfect

6:51

my craft and prove anybody that's

6:53

that's doubt and anything. I

6:55

don't really think too negative because I know what I am. I

6:57

know what I can bring type

7:00

of person I am.

7:01

How did you develop receiving skills? How

7:03

young were you?

7:04

Because you were a past catcher as

7:06

well as of course they're a great running back in high school.

7:08

Like that's not natural, it's

7:10

not bad.

7:11

I'm God's blessing with a tremendous amount of talent

7:13

and I'm grateful for that. So it was just something. I work

7:15

it all the time any Opportuneeny,

7:17

I'm working out, I catch on roubs,

7:20

do everything I need to do so I can be ready for any

7:22

rule.

7:23

What do you think you've proven to yourself three seasons.

7:25

I think there's a scout sea. I've got a good stat here on you.

7:28

Okay.

7:29

In your first twenty six career games with Detroit,

7:31

you were one of only six players in

7:33

the history of the game to have one

7:36

thousand receiving yard one thousand rushing yards,

7:38

one hundred and five receptions, and seventeen

7:40

touchdowns in twenty sixteens.

7:41

I mean that's legit stuff.

7:43

What do you think you've proven to yourself?

7:47

I think I'm just gonna start, be honest, I

7:50

think I'm just gonna start.

7:51

And so that's fresh. Starts are

7:53

good? Do you feel reborn being a Philadelphia

7:56

Eagle?

7:57

In a sense?

7:57

This is a fresh opportunity, fresh start

8:00

with a great group of guys. I

8:02

want to say, I think Detroit for the opportunity

8:05

they gave me. For foremost, the city of Detroity will always

8:07

have a place in my art. I love them,

8:10

but excited for this, for this opportunity.

8:12

What do you see when you look at this offense? A

8:15

from the outside and now now that you're

8:17

on the inside.

8:17

And the outside looking in, explosive doesn't

8:21

really have too many weaknesses. The

8:24

way the way Jalen commands the offense

8:27

is leadership. The way kelse and

8:29

is the old line laying on the outside. Great

8:31

running back group that I'm that I'm joining

8:34

being a part of. You

8:36

know, you've got the dogs on the outside, AJ

8:38

and DeVante, you got quiz. It's just it's

8:40

a lot. It's it's weapons are everywhere over the field.

8:42

But now that I'm here, it's even better

8:44

because I get to put in the work. I just see

8:47

how y'all connect together. So it's it's

8:49

a lot. It's cool.

8:50

Do you are you?

8:51

I hate to even ask this question? Are you do you

8:53

remember? Are you old enough to remember? I can't believe

8:55

I'm asking Brian Westbrook Yes, like

8:57

so I think that you're like Brian westbrook Is said

9:00

that you can potentially move around.

9:02

Are you used to meet moving all

9:04

over the formation and creating good matchups?

9:06

Yes, learn in different positions, different

9:08

formations, and just being able

9:10

to showcase what guys given me?

9:12

What what?

9:12

How much do you squat? How much do I squat?

9:16

I'm looking, I'm looking at your time? You got

9:18

big?

9:19

I haven't.

9:19

I haven't squatted like heavy maxed out since

9:22

college and that was about like five and some change.

9:24

That's crazy. Yeah, what was it? What

9:26

was the NFL lesson in Detroit? You guys

9:28

came close last you? I mean, really, patience, you

9:31

really turned it around. Least you're get you got that taste

9:33

of winning. Must make you hungry for more.

9:36

I've been in programs all my life where

9:38

that was the standard and Detroit no different.

9:41

The great coach over there winning culture

9:44

now. But like I

9:46

said, I can't explain how excited I am now

9:49

join the Philadelphia.

9:50

What's it been? What was your phone like on Saturday?

9:52

How give me a context? How

9:55

how it exploded?

9:55

Crazy? Crazy?

9:56

It's still it died down a little bit, but it's

9:59

still a lot body reaching out.

10:01

But emotions on myself was just up and down.

10:03

It was. It was a lot.

10:05

It was a lot, I'm sure for everybody

10:08

that DeAndre Swift was not able to chext

10:10

back on behalf of Gendre. He says,

10:13

thank you for your great wishes and I'll get back here.

10:16

My best too. But I'm so focused

10:18

and locked in right now.

10:20

Are you living in your in your hometown bedroom, in your

10:22

your house bedroom?

10:24

Are you

10:26

not right now?

10:28

Are you going to?

10:29

Yes? Probably

10:32

be on the couch somewhere back of my environment. Uncomfortable.

10:36

How's it like with your with your friends? I mean, has it all

10:38

been?

10:38

Hey, We're really thrilling everybody

10:40

I talk.

10:41

Just the love and support that I that I've

10:43

gotten is unconditional because

10:46

I'm from the in the city, so it's

10:48

like people have seen me kind

10:50

of grow up and become this

10:52

type of men, this man, this player that I'm coming.

10:55

It's it's just a lot to It's

10:57

a cool thing.

10:57

It's and I know when you were in that prep you

11:00

practiced here. I knew that when you were very young you came

11:02

here. Did you have stars in your eyes

11:04

when you walked in and saw players

11:06

way back when?

11:07

One hundred percent?

11:08

Just being in an NFL facility at

11:10

that young age, I kind of putting in respective like one

11:12

day I'm a be in this league playing

11:15

ball, doing scoring touchdowns things

11:17

like that. And now that it is here is

11:20

it's like what can I do to

11:22

stay on this level?

11:23

Yeah?

11:23

Yeah, okay, well listen, man, I appreciate you coming in. I

11:25

know it's been a whirlwind few days. Has

11:28

it truly sunk it in all the way?

11:31

I don't. I don't know it has.

11:32

It has just been in the building. But I still like it

11:34

doesn't feel real, to be honest, it really don't.

11:36

Because now I'm back

11:38

home. It's just like it's the opportunity.

11:40

I feel like it's bigger than me. That's the opportunity

11:43

just from the young kids that I grew up with, just the

11:45

young kids that followed me, my whole life,

11:48

my whole football journey.

11:49

I just feel like it's bigger than me at this point.

11:50

Well it is. You're wearing a hoodie beyond blessed.

11:52

Beyond blessed.

11:53

That's the truth.

11:53

It's the motto.

11:54

Man, this is my one of my good friends, Kwan

11:56

Cook is his clothing

11:59

line.

11:59

I like it and it's the truth.

12:01

And DeAndre Swift is a Philadelphia Eagle and I'm

12:03

glad to meet you. Man. Thanks for coming in on the podcast.

12:05

Great job and look forward to seeing you on the field.

12:07

Yes, thank you.

12:08

All right, good stuff there from Swift, and now

12:11

let's move it over to o Z, who's

12:14

five eight again, five eight one ninety

12:16

three comes into a loaded

12:18

Eagles receiver room.

12:20

What kind of role will we have.

12:22

We'll see about it, but certainly the story

12:24

is unique, inspiring and

12:27

along the way, you know, we kind

12:29

of learned some lessons here from Olamedi

12:32

Zekias one on one here

12:34

at the and Ovacare Complex.

12:37

Olamedi Zikias, o.

12:40

Z welcome, thank you. I

12:43

mean, there's so many things to talk about. I guess the

12:45

basic one is it is all sunk

12:47

in with you right that you're a Philadelphia Eagle, like

12:49

coming home being with the home town

12:52

team.

12:52

That I hope you cheered for when

12:54

you were a kid. Uh yeah, it's

12:56

kind of sun sunk in a little bit. But uh,

12:59

I was actually a hardest fan growing up

13:01

because I used to I used to play running

13:03

back and Ladelia Thomlinson was my favorite

13:05

player, right, So I just whatever team he

13:07

was on, that was my favorite team.

13:09

How did you make it back to Philly? What tell

13:11

me about the route that they brought you back

13:13

to your home area because I know

13:15

you lived in Jersey and

13:17

becoming a Philadelphia Eagle.

13:20

Free agency, man, it

13:23

uh just kind of just naturally happened

13:25

that way. Just uh waiting patiently,

13:28

teams filled out, you know, their rosters,

13:30

and uh, I just saw the

13:32

opportunity to come to come

13:34

back home. Basically, I was like I

13:37

told my agents, like, let's get on this, Let's

13:39

let's be aggressive with this, and let's let's make

13:41

this happen.

13:42

Do you look at the roster when you before you

13:44

make a decision and say, hey, I feel

13:46

like I can make it make an impact here.

13:48

For sure, just uh,

13:50

you know, looking at the receiver room and in

13:52

general obviously they lost Zach Pascal

13:56

and uh he trains with the same guy that

13:58

I trained with, so you know, obviously they

14:00

have had a hole there. And you uh, you

14:03

know, I'm confident what I can do, So I feel like I

14:05

could. I could add value to

14:07

any team that I go to. But you know,

14:10

especially when somebody leaves a receiver room,

14:12

you know there's there's a void there somewhere. So you

14:15

know, like I said, just confident what

14:17

I can do, and I was gonna add values in some

14:19

way.

14:20

You've beaten the odds OZ players.

14:23

I don't even know, it's less than two percent.

14:26

If you don't get drafted to make it in the NFL?

14:29

What what? What's the key to your successman?

14:33

So it's so so much, so much,

14:35

so many things. I would say the main thing is

14:37

just being a sponge and

14:40

just learning. Like one thing I've always

14:43

been able to do is just learn quick, learn

14:45

fast. And uh, when I went to Atlanta,

14:48

it's a stacked receiver room. You know, Julio

14:50

Mohama, Sanu, Calvin Ridley, Justin Hardy

14:52

Russell Gage, you know a bunch of other guys

14:55

there too. I was learning from and

14:57

uh, just being just having that exist

15:00

ample put in front of my face every day. I

15:02

was able to learn so quick and just pick up things

15:04

so quick about playing receiver and just

15:07

being a receiver in the NFL.

15:10

That helped me so much.

15:11

So just being a sponge and then like just

15:14

taking advantage of their opportunities like they

15:16

come sometimes they come slim,

15:18

like very very few of them. But if

15:20

you make it, make the most out of them. You know, they

15:23

see the potential and the upside

15:25

of who you are as a player.

15:26

When you go into a camp that first time, like

15:28

you're reiz or thin margin

15:30

of air, like you have to be great every single day,

15:35

help challenging yourself like that.

15:36

How much did that help you in the big picture

15:39

here?

15:39

Uh? It helped me a

15:41

lot.

15:42

Helped me a lot, and just the not only

15:44

the efficiency of that that mindset, but

15:46

also just like the margin

15:48

of there. Yeah, you know, it was very small. It's

15:51

very small, and you just find ways,

15:53

you know. I remember going into my my rookie

15:55

year training camp. I wasn't getting

15:57

a lot of reps and I

15:59

was like, all right, I have to find a way to like pop

16:02

out on film. And for me, like

16:05

getting maybe six to eight reps

16:07

a day, maybe maybe ten, maybe twelve, depending

16:09

on the day.

16:10

Uh.

16:11

For me, it was just finishing like I

16:13

want to be like when you watch film, you have to

16:16

see me on film right next to the ball here,

16:18

no matter what. And uh

16:20

that was just the mindset and uh, you

16:22

know, I just attacked it like that, and uh, you know

16:25

it worked out for me.

16:26

What was it like finding out that you made that team for

16:28

the first time and the like how did it go down

16:30

in Atlanta? Like I know that that the last

16:32

cut day, guys are in their hotel rooms

16:35

hoping the phone doesn't ring, basically right.

16:39

So yeah, that day, well

16:41

it was really like a couple of days really, it was like the

16:43

whole weekend.

16:44

Yeah.

16:46

Uh, you know, I had a feeling that I

16:49

did enough to put myself in a position

16:51

to make the team.

16:52

And uh, you know,

16:54

just like you said, it's just a waiting game.

16:56

You know, you just sitting by your phone and you're like,

16:58

ah, just trying to keep yourself busy and stuff

17:00

like that. So first day

17:02

went by it and get a call. I said, Okay, it's a good

17:04

sign. Second day comes and

17:07

then our receiver coach at the time, Rahee

17:09

Morris, he said he called me,

17:12

and that's my guy.

17:13

He called me.

17:13

He was like you good, so

17:16

and you proceeded to jump up and

17:18

down call your parents

17:21

like what did you do? Uh?

17:22

Take it cool?

17:23

I called my mom just because

17:25

you know, I know she would be excited for me and then

17:28

my brother as well. But uh,

17:30

for me, I just know that there was still work to be

17:32

done. Like I wasn't where I wanted to be, but

17:34

that was a huge step for me. But the

17:36

mindset wasn't to make the team. It was to make

17:38

an impact on the team, you know, So it

17:42

wasn't It was a cool moment, but I knew

17:44

that there was way more work to be done.

17:45

And I went to spend some time with that story just kind

17:47

of as it translates to now that I

17:50

imagine Oz that you have

17:52

had that chip on your shoulder and we'll always

17:54

have that chip on your shoulder, like

17:56

nothing's ever going to be given to.

17:58

You ever ever, man, And.

18:02

Just looking at my life

18:04

and even football career, Uh,

18:07

it never goes exactly the way I envisioned

18:09

it, but there

18:12

it's always ended up working out, you know,

18:14

and uh, like a chip, just

18:16

being that that underdog has always

18:18

been a part of my journey and my story

18:21

and it, like you said, it'll

18:23

always be there for me.

18:24

And it's something that I thrive in. I thrive in

18:26

that environment.

18:27

When did you want to become an NFL player? How how

18:29

long has it always been

18:31

your thought? Like your entire life, You've loved the NFL.

18:33

You love football so much.

18:35

Uh So, I would say for

18:37

me, uh, in

18:40

high school, when I

18:42

was in high school and the

18:45

thoughts prep, Yes, Central Prep, Centrals

18:47

Prep. I would

18:49

say in high school, that's when I was like, Okay,

18:52

I can I can do this.

18:53

I can take this to the highest level. I

18:55

want to take it.

18:57

Why what what made you think that? Because

18:59

you were dominating as a your high level of high

19:01

school football.

19:02

Yeah, and I just in uh that, and

19:05

I just enjoyed the process of getting

19:07

better like and it and especially

19:10

in football where you know, not

19:13

everybody is the tallest. I'm not the tallest,

19:16

you know, and or the fastest

19:18

or the strongest, but like it

19:21

was just like overcoming that

19:24

that stigma or that that perception of

19:26

being smaller, being not as fast, not

19:28

as quick or whatever.

19:29

Like I love that.

19:30

And I seen the opportunity and

19:32

that too to overcome that and

19:35

that that's something that just drove me and uh

19:37

pushed me to become better. And

19:39

uh so I always like

19:41

had that in my mind to like like

19:44

keep striving for that.

19:45

How many times in your life have you been told

19:48

that, ah, you're just too small, Ah,

19:50

you're not gonna make it out, you're not good enough, like or

19:52

people snicker.

19:53

When you say, I'm going to be an NFL player, Uh

19:56

all my life, like every stage

19:58

in my life. U obviously you have

20:00

your supporters and the people that actually believe

20:02

in you, but even to this

20:05

day, there still people that you know, doubt

20:07

me.

20:07

And but you know, it's just a

20:09

part of it. It's a part of it.

20:10

There's there's a there's

20:13

like an overarching ignorance that's been

20:15

a part of my life just from the outside looking in.

20:17

So you know, you kind of just embrace that and

20:19

you keep going.

20:20

I think it's cool that you've turned that into

20:22

a positive, into a motivatal, motivational

20:25

chip that you think about every day. Okay,

20:28

so let's let's talk about what you bring to the Eagles. For those

20:30

fans who may not be familiar with you, I

20:33

know that from what I've heard, great hands, versatile

20:36

blocker, tough, strong

20:39

at at at the scouting report.

20:41

Everything you said inside outside, Yeah,

20:44

just reliable. You know, whatever the team

20:46

needs me to do, I'll do special

20:49

teams, anything like returning, whatever,

20:51

whatever, whatever gets the job done.

20:53

You know.

20:54

I think one thing that this off season,

20:56

you know, really really taught me is just like,

20:59

uh, I'm a winner,

21:01

you know what I'm saying. And it might not always

21:04

feel like that, but the way

21:06

I work is I work to win, so

21:09

uh, you know, obviously this

21:12

culture is that.

21:14

So I feel like it's

21:17

just perfect for me. Describe the culture here that

21:19

that you've known for a week and a half. Is

21:22

it Is it a different culture then you I

21:24

don't want to say different because I'm not nothing

21:26

disparaging any other team.

21:28

Is it? Is it a welcoming culture.

21:30

It's a very welcoming culture.

21:32

And it's just

21:34

uh, it's it's a It's beautiful,

21:36

man, It's it's very beautiful. Just

21:39

the whole building is here for one

21:41

goal and as soon as I

21:43

walk into the building, you can just feel that. And

21:45

uh, like I said, it's

21:48

like, I'm a winner. So I feel like this is this is perfect.

21:50

It's perfectly Everything's about competing and

21:52

connecting and coming together as a team to reach

21:55

this one common goal. And you can

21:57

just feel that throughout the building, from talking

21:59

to the staff, to people in the

22:01

cafeteria to you know, just

22:03

anybody who walk by, Like everybody's

22:05

on board. But there's one goal, and it's it's just beautiful.

22:08

It's cool to hear. I love.

22:09

I love when players say that because I agree too.

22:11

I've been here a thousand years. So

22:13

you and Marcus are together again. I know the last

22:16

year you had a great connection. What

22:18

was I like having really earned

22:20

the trust of Marcus so much and your

22:22

numbers were so good and your production

22:24

was outstanding.

22:26

Uh, it was good. But like everything,

22:28

it just takes a lot of work.

22:29

You know, me and Marcus putting a lot of time together

22:32

from OTA's to the summer, it's the

22:34

training camp throughout the season. Like

22:38

man, me and me and Marcus put on a lot of time to

22:40

build that chemistry and that trust and that connection.

22:42

So you know, having him here is

22:44

obviously a you know, a plus and just you

22:47

know, just to be able to talk to him and see what he sees

22:49

and talk to him and jailing and stuff

22:51

like that. So you

22:53

know, I can I can say a lot

22:55

of great things about Marcus Man.

22:57

When you signed here.

22:58

I went back and watched your first NF film reception

23:01

ninety three yards. What a cool darn

23:03

play that was, Matt Ryan throwing

23:06

it out of the end zone. Take me back to that

23:08

moment. I think the longest first

23:10

catch in the history of the NFL.

23:12

Yeah, just reflecting

23:14

on it, it's it's it's still a crazy

23:17

thing to think about. But uh so

23:19

that game, Calvin really got hurt and

23:21

I was backing him up, and uh

23:24

it was like maybe my second play in the game,

23:27

and third and seven,

23:29

I think, backed up in the end zone and

23:32

they went zero trying to get

23:34

a safety or just get more pressure, get a sack

23:36

or something, and we quick

23:38

snapped it. I ran my route

23:41

and I look up and I

23:43

see the ball late and I was able to fade to

23:45

it like late. I broke a tackle

23:47

and score and then like running down the field,

23:49

I'm like, Yo, that really just happened.

23:52

So like if you I don't know, if you watch the clip, oh

23:54

yeah, you'll kind of you'll kind of see me, like walking

23:56

the end zone is just like,

24:00

really just happened. And then I turn

24:02

around, I feel like I've seen the whole

24:04

team sprinting at me like it was.

24:06

It was a cool moment. It was very cool.

24:08

Is that ball now in your man cave,

24:10

in your oz Man cave?

24:11

It is? It is? My mom? Has it sweet?

24:13

Are you sleep? Are you back at home? Are you sleeping in your

24:16

child?

24:16

So?

24:17

Okay, I was hoping you

24:19

go back and get some mom's cooking, have a good

24:21

time.

24:21

I've visit often, you know, definitely being

24:24

twenty minutes away from my mom. You know I'll

24:26

be home a lot, but I can't can't sleep

24:28

at home. Nea own's face.

24:30

What has it been like last one for you? I know, come back

24:32

to Saint Joe's prepping. Deandre's here now. It

24:34

must be a really comforting, great feeling.

24:37

What has it been like for you?

24:38

It's been It's been great, man.

24:39

And you know I think, uh,

24:42

just the ups and downs of being an NFL

24:44

player, Like it's one thing, uh,

24:46

you know, you.

24:46

Have to deal with.

24:47

And something I was telling Dre was

24:49

just like everything is happening exactly

24:51

the way it should be. You know, whether you whether

24:54

it feels like that for you right now or

24:56

not, Like that's exactly what it is. So just

24:58

embrace the moment and h oh,

25:01

we're back home like where we played high school

25:03

football and you know, did a lot of work, so

25:05

like it's a beautiful opportunity

25:07

to embrace.

25:08

And you know, I'm excited for you.

25:09

Guys said dreamed about being NFL players.

25:11

Right here you are.

25:12

And then this is the moment, full circle

25:14

moment we come back and play with like, play together

25:17

like it's crazy.

25:18

That's so cool. There's a lesson for everybody

25:20

in there.

25:21

Don't give up, don't let people tell you that

25:23

you can't do it, and just keep working

25:25

hard and learn.

25:26

Fast, learn fast, be us funs. Thank

25:28

you so much, Thank you, appreciate it. Nice to meet you. Thank

25:30

you.

25:32

In this week's Extra Points, here

25:34

on the Eagles Insider podcast presented by Lincoln Financial

25:36

Group, let's talk a little bit about

25:40

the Eagles twenty twenty

25:42

three regular season schedule.

25:44

We don't know a bunch about it.

25:46

We don't know who where what

25:49

we do know who. It's a great schedule,

25:52

one of the hardest in the NFL. The NFC

25:54

East really strong once again after

25:57

sending three teams to

25:59

the postseason and last year. And

26:01

just a reminder that as wacky and wild and

26:03

crazy as everything in the NFL usually

26:06

is this statistic above

26:08

all.

26:09

May be the craziest.

26:11

Not a single repeat

26:14

winner in the NFC since

26:16

the Eagles did it in the two thousand

26:18

and three and two thousand and four seasons.

26:21

So while everybody.

26:22

Thinks the Eagles are going to be an outstanding team this year,

26:26

just make sure you take nothing for

26:28

granted that fact

26:31

alone. Not since twenty three

26:34

to four has

26:36

there been a repeat winner in the NFC

26:38

East. So what's gonna happen

26:40

when the schedules announced on Thursday night?

26:42

Oh?

26:42

A lot of primetime games.

26:44

There's talk in

26:46

league circles, media circles at least

26:48

that the Eagles and the Giants will.

26:50

Play on Black Friday.

26:52

Certainly the Eagles are gonna wear some Kelly

26:54

Green jerseys this year. In what games

26:57

will they wear them? So these are announcements

26:59

to be made, and it's

27:02

just so exciting as the Eagles

27:04

now and still in phase one of their

27:06

off season, we have so

27:08

much to look forward to, and make sure

27:10

you're with us on our

27:12

social channels, our official team app,

27:15

Philadelphia Eagles dot com

27:17

for when the schedule is announced on

27:19

Thursday night. We are gonna blow

27:22

it out because It's time then,

27:24

to look ahead.

27:26

To the twenty twenty three regular season.

27:28

IM Eagles Insider Dave spideo thanks for joining

27:30

me for this Eagles Insider podcast presented

27:32

by a Linkoin Financial Group. Thanks to Trevor Hayes

27:35

for doing such a great job putting this all together. Thanks

27:37

to all of you for tuning in

27:39

each and every episode. We'll

27:42

see you next week. We'll talk schedule,

27:44

we'll talk twenty twenty three. Gosh,

27:47

it's so close and yet so far away.

27:50

IM Eagles Insider Dave Spandeo, thanks for joining

27:52

everyone.

27:52

Have yourselves a great Eagles day. Fly Eagles,

27:54

Fly, and go Berts.

28:00

That's yours