When it comes to the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles offense, the big names almost always get all the glory.
You have Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley, who were in the MVP race, AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, widely considered among the best WR1s and WR2s in the NFL, and even Dallas Goedert who is getting some love as a tight end ultimate. But aside from the occasional shoutout to Lane Johnson or an appearance by Jordan Mailata on The Masked Singer? Yeah, the undercard Eagles really don’t get a lot of attention.
Discussing one of those players, Kenneth Gainwell, with reporters on Monday, Nick Sirianni celebrated everything the Memphis running back has done for the team since they both arrived in Philadelphia in 2021, noting that ‘he plays football in the right way even if it doesn’t necessarily sell a bunch of jerseys.
“Yeah, first of all, [RB Kenneth Gainwell] Kenny always took advantage of his opportunities. This year is no different. I think Kenny is doing the same things he’s been doing here since I got here. And he got here too. We entered together. There’s a lot of things I do where I go back and watch tape, whether it’s situational football from ’21, ’22, ’23, ’24. Again, I’m always looking and trying to improve myself that way,” Sirianni told reporters.
“On the way to Brazil, I watched a third of the games we played here over the last three years. Long journey; nothing to do. Someone gave me a few shows to watch, and I just wanted to watch a tape instead. Anyway, Kenny Gainwell was all over that tape, doing plays all over that tape. And so, to answer your question, I don’t think he’s doing anything different. I think he’s just taking advantage of his opportunities because he’s always done that. He was always the second or third back.
“In ’21, there was a match where he was down, in which he was not active. He told me, “This won’t happen to me again,” and it hasn’t. He’s such a reliable football player. We had confidence in Kenny – again, not blind faith, we had confidence because of the way he has produced here from very early on. And he continues to be that guy we can trust. And he contributes on special teams and plays a bigger role in that regard. He’s tough. He is reliable. Excellent teammate.
Widely celebrated as a do-it-all running back who can attack opposing defenses as a receiver or runner, Gainwell has been the Eagles’ third-string defender for years now, even with Barkley in the fold. And the best? His teammates love him too, which is good news for his future prospects.
Nick Sirianni thanks Kenny G for his positive presence at the Eagles
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Continuing his comments on Gainwell, Sirianni celebrated what Gainwell brings to the locker room as much as on the field, as he exemplifies what the Eagles are looking for in a draft prospect.
“You ask the guys on this team what they think of Kenny Gainwell; everyone will say the same thing. There’s a reason he’s been on this team for four years and made some very important plays. It’s because we love it. We think he’s a great teammate. We think he’s a great football player,” Gainwell told reporters.
“And while you’re asking me these questions, and I’m talking about this guy and that guy, this is why this team continues to come together. The focus we put on the team, but more importantly, the guys we have on this team coming together. Because these guys make it happen. Again, there are so many good teammates. Tribute to [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] and its staff. As [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] and I talk before every draft, we talk about the importance of these guys loving football, having high character, and all these different things when we talk about players.
What does the future hold for Gainwell in Philadelphia? Will he agree to a new long-term contract to stay with the team next spring? Or did Roseman draft his replacement in April, Will Shipley, who can do similar things even though the Eagles barely use him on offense? Fans will find out soon enough.
