What They’re Saying About the Eagles

This week’s roundup of Eagles coverage in the national media.

Joe Banner told a story on ESPN’s NFL Insiders of how Patrick Peterson was nearly an Eagle.

“When we were in Philadelphia, we traded Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second round draft pick. The original trade was the fifth pick of the draft — which we were targeting Patrick Peterson for — and the second round pick the next year. Because there was a lockout, we weren’t allowed to make trades leading into the draft or else Patrick Peterson would have been a Philadelphia Eagle.”

The Pro Bowl draft was last night, so we now know which teams the three Eagles will be on.

Malcolm Jenkins will start for Team Irvin. Jenkins was named to the Pro Bowl squad earlier this week to replace Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu, who is out due to a knee injury.

Jenkins will not be with Eagles teammate Fletcher Cox in this all-star game. The defensive lineman was chosen to start for Team Rice.

Cox may have the chance to get after Eagles teammate Darren Sproles, who is the return specialist for Team Irvin.

How former Eagles quarterback Mike Boryla became an unlikely Pro Bowl hero, according to Sam Gardner of FOX Sports.

At the time, the NFC had 13 teams, and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton, the league MVP, was initially named the conference’s starter in the game. Tarkenton balked at the invitation due to a sore arm, however, and Dallas Cowboys legend Roger Staubach, fresh off a Super Bowl X loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, also declined, citing sore ribs.

After that, NFL officials tried to convince Archie Manning and Steve Bartkowski to play in the game, but both said no, citing sore arms of their own according to the Chicago Tribune. So the league finally landed on Boryla, the NFC’s 15th-leading passer and the second-most effective quarterback on his own team, to back up the St. Louis Cardinals’ Jim Hart.

James Parziale of FOX Sports recalled seven times players fought through pain in the Super Bowl, including Terrell Owens.

For all the baggage that Owens brought with him in his time with the 49ers, Eagles, Cowboys, Bills and Bengals, he never let his play speak for itself more than it did in Feb. 2005. Owens, who had a broken bone and partially torn ligament in his foot, played against the Patriots seven weeks after the injuries. Doctors advised him not to play, but Owens caught nine passes for 122 yards in the game.

Peter Schrager of FOX Sports has the Eagles taking Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley in his latest mock draft.

Stanley’s the real deal. Behind Tunsil, he’s the left tackle I have my eye on. Jason Peters is one of the greatest of his generation; he’s not the long-term answer in Philly. Stanley could be that guy or be the man on the right.

How a former Eagles scout is helping ex-NFL players find a second life in pro football, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports.

But while the players know the game, there’s more to making the jump into personnel evaluation than walking from the locker room into team’s offices. That’s why Dan Hatman founded the Scouting Academy two years ago after serving as a scout for the Eagles, Jets and Giants. He realized the need for a service to teach players about the organizational skills involved with preparing reports and the like while opening his doors to football hopefuls who needed a better understanding of the game.

Andy Reid is included as one of 12 memorable Super Bowl coaching debuts, by Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.

The slooooooooow pacing of Kansas City’s offense in the fourth quarter of its divisional round loss at New England two weekends ago invoked memories of Reid’s questionable Super Bowl clock management from 11 seasons earlier, also against the Patriots. The 2004-05 Eagles showed no sense of urgency while trailing New England by 10 points with less than six minutes left in the only Super Bowl played in Jacksonville. Philadelphia finally scored a touchdown but recovering the onside kick became a necessity with 1:48 left on the clock and the Eagles holding two time outs. That didn’t happen, allowing the Patriots to put the finishing touches on a 24-21 victory.