New Orleans – A few weeks ago, Jordan Myrata got the text from Blue. message? He was able to go to the office of dom disandro, the chief executive of the Philadelphia Eagles, and picked up his Rolex.
Mailata, the Eagles’ second-team All-Pro left tackle, had completely forgotten what Saquon Barkley said a few months ago.
“When we first got him,” the email recalls when Berkley came to Philadelphia in a surprising free agency last March. . And he told us at the beginning of the season – even at the beginning of the season, this is OTAS – “If I win the title I’m in a hurry, I’ll get your Rolex. ”
Almost a year later, Barkley, a newly anointed offensive player of the year, banked over 2,000 rushing yards, deposited his rushing crown in the bank and entered a bank account to pay for the promised watch. I’ve reached it.
“We were like, ‘Well, we’d forgotten that,'” Mailata glowed. “But he was the man of his words. And I don’t think we knew him long enough to know that he was serious, but he was the man of his words. He has a true personality.”
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Such a character had to do more to help Berkley succeed in his pledge.
“Yeah, sometimes you have to tell the existence of things, right?” he calls him “one of the biggest offensive lines of all time.” He said he was there. He is a group that has earned honorary membership.
“I made it happen and I was able to give those guys some watches. A big cry to my jeweler, Gabe. He helped me. But I learned That’s what you know, they’re some big guys. So you get the standard size and you know, I help them, some extra ( WatchBand) I was able to get the link.
This is one of the few things that we haven’t planned for Berkley this season. It concludes the Sunday when he plays in the Super Bowl for the first time.
His talent was always easy to reveal as he was the second player in the 2018 NFL Draft and had accumulated highlights for the Philadelphia tournament, the New York Giants, for many years. This is the only way a running back has recently signed a three-year contract for nearly $38 million.
Like everyone else, the Eagles knew Berkley was good (even if many people couldn’t believe he was switching sides). What they didn’t know was what they really got when he first entered their facility.
“I don’t know how he got here. That was my first reaction,” said Pro Bowl right tackle lane Johnson. “And then having the opportunity to play with him is extraordinary.
“I was probably even more impressed with his character (he) and he was off the field.”
Talk to an Eagles member. It soon becomes clear that Johnson’s emotions are universal.
“It was very easy to bring Saquon to the family for the resume he came with,” Mailata said. “It was very easy to welcome him with open arms. And what stands out to me more than the players is, and the players you see are how he looks as a person. I think that his personality – the way he cares about people, he cares about his teammates on a personal level – that means a lot to us, and that means a lot to him. I think so.”
that’s right.
Berkley quickly became a leading figure in the locker room and already had strong veteran leadership. And that meant competing in the weight room and sharing many rounds with his faith on the golf course.
“I think relationships are key to having a successful team,” he said.
In this case, success meant the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history. On Sunday the 30th against Kansas City chief, Berkley will score the 26-year-old mark in the most rushing yards of the season (2,476) when including the playoffs. His seven TD runs for at least 60 yards are a combined season and postseason record. The three of the playoffs are more than one postseason mark and what other players have throughout their careers. This effort could go down as the biggest singles campaign by runners to date.
But more importantly, for Berkley, who turned 28 on Super Sunday, it was the way his team flourished, winning his second conference title in three seasons and Philadelphia’s second Lombardi Trophy. It was on the verge of being.
“I wanted to be part of a team that I played in big games and had the opportunity to compete and play in the Super Bowl,” Berkley said. “And that all happened.
“Now I was hoping for the praise and the records and yards that come with it? No. Was I working for that? Yes. But most importantly, come here, championships and super. It was about competing for the bowl.”
Even if that was the most important thing, the way he did it meant just as much to his teammates and coaches.
“He’s a great guy and he’s attractive,” defensive tackle Moro Ojomo told USA Today Sports. “He accepted us, we accepted him. It was a match made in heaven.”
Director Nick Silianni said: But what he has brings to our soccer team when it comes to his leadership, his work ethic. He’s an incredible teammate. They make him very special.
“And that’s pretty special, I say more after seeing him jump the guys behind him.
“He’s a great teammate and a great guy. I can’t say good enough. I’ll be able to talk about what Saquon meant to this football team for the rest of this press conference. You can, you can’t even talk about anything on the field.”
Even Berkley, who was a bit uneasy about his new coach before landing in Philadelphia, can hardly believe how it suits him from almost every point of view.
“A year ago, I probably splashed him,” he said of Silianni, who had a polarised reputation, especially among outsiders. “But now our relationship has grown so much. He really cares about the players and that’s not spoken well.
“He’s a great person.”
No surprise to outsiders
When Berkley was in New York, one of his closest friends was Hall of Fame and Giants legend Michael Strahan. He regularly ate with Strahan.
Just as Strahan disliked the outcome of the low giants, he also immediately foresaw Berkley’s wild success in Philadelphia.
“Saquon is just a leader. He’s just that guy. Not just the leader in words, you’re watching him on the field. I think I’m the real leader of the team, you don’t have to play You can always have someone chirping in your locker room, but if they’re never playing, no one will respect that. “Strahan, a current Fox analyst, says USA Today. He told Sports.
“He’ll back up everything he says, and I’m that why guys respect him. It’s hard to go to a new team, an old department team trained to you like you to hate. And suddenly you have to do something like ‘? It’s strange to wear that uniform for the first time. But I’m happy he’s there. As a Giants fan, obviously he’s got Fila I think it’s disappointing to see him play so well for Delphia. I don’t know if he had it in New York that year. He didn’t have the same support system around him. .
“I want to see him doing so well. I want to see him doing his best. I had the opportunity to see it in the regular season, and I saw it in the Super Bowl. I hope. I love Saquon. He is the most real guy off the field and on top of that he is a Hellba player.”
And now he’s the Chiefs issue as they go on 3-peat Sunday of their historic Super Bowl. One of their biggest stars is well aware that Berkley can plague their plans.
“I’m sure me and my brother knew exactly what was going to happen in Philadelphia when they got Saquon Berkley,” said the brother of former Eagles All-Pro Center Jason Kelse. said one Kansas City tight end Travisquelse.
“Saquon, he’s a generational talent. And you’re going to have it with the offensive line style they have, the abilities they have on the boundaries, and obviously their abilities at quarterback. I put it down – you knew something special was going to happen in Philadelphia this year.”
The city loves that new star. Berkley has already suffered some of the highest thunderous roars in the Lincoln financial sector during their pre-match introductions. He’s about the same as his new teammate.
“I think the team means everything to me,” Berkley said. “From the first day, the way they welcomed me with open arms. And I’m kind of a new guy (but) I feel like I’ve been on this team for seven years.”
And if everything continues to plan, those Super Bowl rings fit better than a Rolex.
“All of them were too small,” laughed Mailata. “We have big hands!”
Also a big back that made everything else just right.
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