When the Philadelphia Eagles take the field against Doug Pederson and the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9, it won’t be the only spectacle fans will be treated to at Lincoln Financial Field.
That’s right, after a decade away, LeSean McCoy, the Harrisburg-born former Pitt second-round pick who holds many of Philadelphia’s all-time records, will return the Linc, shake hands with Jeffery Lurie and will officially become the Eagles’ latest Hall of Fame inductee.
But what does that mean for the current Eagles, none of whom played with Shady McCoy? Does he still carry weight as one of the faces of the franchise from a generation ago? Or do gamers now know him more for his new podcast with DeSean Jackson and his appearances on FS1?
Asked by reporters Friday about McCoy and his career in Philadelphia, Nick Sirianni celebrated Shady, noting that he is one of his all time favorites Eagles players.
“I was able to follow his career quite a bit. I was at IUP when he was at Pitt and Philadelphia. Then his brother, just before I arrived, played at IUP. So a lot of the guys that I coached with or were still playing there were friends with his brother. So there was a natural sequel to us watching it,” Sirianni told reporters.
I got to see a lot of things and always thought how special he was with the ball in his hands, making guys miss in space. There was an important game against West Virginia. I remember seeing him play in that game. He just had this special ability. So I think when I got here, I knew a lot about him. But when you get here you hear what a great player he was. One of the greatest of all time for the Eagles. My number was 25. I have a special thing with guys who wear number 25. And again, I knew a lot about him before I came here and I thought how great he was with football.
Interesting stuff, right? Well, wait, it gets even better, because Sirianni actually has a specific game that he often turns to as an educational tool for his players.
Nick Sirianni: LeSean McCoy was special for the Eagles
Turning his attention to his favorite plays and plays from McCoy’s career, Sirianni listed the Snow Bowl game against the Detroit Lions as his top choice, noting that his ability to stop on the fly in the snow was truly impressive.
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“To answer your question, probably the main thing I learned was this snow game. I always hear about that snow game against Detroit, how everyone was sliding on the field and he was making these cuts at full speed. That’s the special type of player he is. And I had the opportunity to talk to him several times. I think of him so much. I always appreciate his support when he talks to me about the team as a former Eagle,” Sirianni told reporters.
“And then, interestingly enough, when we first got to Indy, he was in Buffalo in the snow game when Buffalo was playing in Indy. I remember he made those cuts in that match as well.
“Again, it’s just great with the ball in his hands. I don’t think he put the ball on the ground very often. We talk a lot about the ball. He’s a little loose with that. (Smiling.) I’m kidding. He knew how to take care of it, and he knew when to take care of it. He knew how to get the ball. Man, he was a special guy to watch. I’m really excited for him. Man, you go through these things, and then you get into the team Hall of Fame. It’s pretty special. Obviously, this is a special career of his.
Heading into Week 9, it’s safe to assume that many fans, pundits, and players will be telling their stories about McCoy and what he meant to the Eagles. But what about individual performances? Yes, it will be hard to find one better than Week 14 of the 2013 season.
