PHILADELPHIA — The last thing quickly developing rookie safety Sydney Brown needed in the Eagles’ regular season finale was a lesson in humility.
It arrived in the form of a torn ACL so devastating he instinctually phoned his identical twin brother Chase, the Cincinnati Bengals backup running back who luckily was available because his squad had defeated the Cleveland Browns in a 1 p.m. game. The Eagles were taking on the New York Giants in a 4:25 p.m. contest that day.
Sydney Brown was looking to add more highlights to his resume just one week after he put himself squarely on the NFL map with a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown.
“It was one of those things,” Brown recalled. “I hurt it, I got up, was like, ‘oh shoot, it feels a little unstable.’ I went to take a step and was like, ‘man, something doesn’t feel right.’ I knew in the moment, but didn’t really accept it until I was in the (medical) tent and I guess right then and there I had a lot of emotions. I got into locker room and called my brother.”
The Browns are inseparable, having starred together at the University of Illinois and then selected in the NFL draft. Sydney came off the board in the third round to the Eagles. Chase Brown was a third-day pick of the Bengals. Both made solid contributions this past season. So, they face-timed.
“He’s my go-to guy to get something off my chest,” Sydney Brown said. “We both shared a few tears, not long, but after that I was like ‘man, I’ll have another opportunity to prove myself again.’ You don’t get to do that too many times. This offseason will show what I’m made of and how I can persevere through this. This will be nothing. I’m going to kick this thing. An ACL is nothing. I’m going to absolutely dominate this process and I’m going to be back better.”
Surgery is scheduled for Brown next week. In a best case scenario he could be back by training camp.
“You learn so much about yourself, the climb, the journey, why you love the game because the game can be taken away so fast,” Brown said. “It was a non-contact injury. It was taken away from me just like that. It could have been any play. It could’ve been on anything, but it is what it is.”
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Second-year defensive tackle Jordan Davis wore down this season, just like the Eagles did.
Though the 6-foot-6, 340-pound run stuffer recorded a career-high 2.5 sacks, the pounding from double-teams caught up to him as well as to rookie defensive tackle Jalen Carter (6.0 sacks). The Georgia duo simply isn’t used to the high snap counts that are common in the NFL.
“It’s all about reflection, reflecting on the good times, the bad times,” Davis said. “Obviously, last year I rolled on the highest of highs, rode the waves all the way to the Super Bowl, fell short. But I feel like this year is the real year because I experienced what it’s like to be on top and on the bottom. Definitely crashed and burned at the end.
“But at the end of the day, I’m very grateful for every day I have to share these moments. I think that’s the most important thing, to reflect on these moments I spent with (Fletcher Cox) and (Jason) Kelce, and all those guys. It’s a shame we couldn’t send them out the right way, but I’m grateful for the moments we had. I got to at least say, when all is said and done in my career, I can say yeah, ‘I played with Fletch for two years, yeah, I played with Jason Kelce for two years, yeah I played with (Brandon Graham).’ Just to have that experience and all those stories I can tell, even though it’s a short two years, and a lot of guys could tell more, I’m very grateful for those moments.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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