The photograph is familiar, a memento from the Eagles’ Super Bowl championship victory in 2018, Howie Roseman lifting the Lombardi Trophy over his head, his hair not mussed, his tie not loose, his smile one of utter contentment.
To some Eagles fans, it is iconic.
To others, ironic.
To those in between, it was evidence that Roseman deserved better treatment from a critic-chorus than he’d received almost ever since.
Sports being sports, and pro sports being a particular pit of potential pickiness, owners and general managers and coaches and quarterbacks, just to name a few, are ever at risk for over-the-top criticism. Comes with the ticket fees. But the constant battering of Roseman as an incompetent football fool has been a sturdy exhibit of evidence that Philadelphia fans have a reputation for a reason.
Too often, they are intolerant bullies, hiding in talk-radio or social-media packs, practicing group-think, choosing their favorites, picking on those declared unfit for their jobs. Since the Eagles were 4-11-1 last season and had begun this one horribly, Roseman was in a perfect spot to be blamed.
Then, a resurgence began, continuing Sunday with a 40-29 victory over the visiting New Orleans Saints, the Eagles’ third victory in four games, enough to shove them into reasonable conversation about the postseason.
It began with Jalen Hurts turning from ordinary to spectacular. That would be Hurts, the quarterback Roseman drafted in the second round while being heckled that he should have invested in whatever some draftnik thought.
It began with DeVonta Smith playing like a veteran, not a rookie. That would be Smith, whom Roseman was able to acquire after multiple maneuvers heading into the last draft.
It began with T.J. Edwards emerging as a special linebacker when few were looking. That would be Edwards, sniffed out as an undrafted free agent.
It began with Darius Slay, who returned an interception for a touchdown Sunday, solidifying his status as a superstar. That would be Slay, brought to the Linc by Roseman for a couple of draft choices and the hint of a freshened contract.
There are others, as there also have been disappointing mistakes, draft flubs and misspent dollars, each one rightly ridiculed. But the rampaging belief that the Eagles were somehow thrown together by an amateur was wrong as it was weird. The ridicule of the 2018 draft was almost instant, yet by Sunday, it was looking inspired. Dallas Goedert has become a top-shelf tight end. Avonte Maddox has surfaced as a big-play cornerback. Josh Sweat is on the brink of being special. And Jordan Mailata has grown from a rugby legend as a worthy successor to Jason Peters at left tackle.
“We all came here to work hard,” Maddox said. “I’m so proud of Jordan. He definitely deserves this. I mean, he never played a football game in his life, and he has come in here and has become one of the best tackles I’ve seen. Big, strong. And then Sweaty is the craziest D-end I’ve ever seen, strong, powerful, physical. I came here to put my best foot forward and get better every single day. And then you’ve got Goddy making one-hand catches with three fingers. That’s pretty cool, too.
“You know, we were a pretty good draft class. And that’s pretty nice.”
Plenty of teams have good draft classes, and some of those classmates will all play well together for spurts. The Eagles are in one of those spurts. But a couple of weeks ago, Nick Sirianni unloaded a comment that oddly rang true. “I do believe we have everybody in this building,” he said, “to win this division, win football games and be able to move on.”
Saying something is one thing. But the Eagles have begun to show that they have high-level players. More, they have a certain kind of player, the kind that it takes a true eye for talent – not some cockeyed draft report – to identify.
“Our team is close,” Sirianni said. “It’s a close group of guys that connect. And it’s a physical group of guys who leave everything out there on the field. That is our identity. And it was really on display today.
“We have tough guys on this team,” he added. “And that’s important. You never want to go to a game without your guys who are tough. And I just feel that is a common denominator of a lot of guys on this football team. We have tough, gritty guys. And that’s going to win you a lot of football games.”
Sirianni has won five football games as a head coach, including one Sunday against some of the Saints. But he is trending positive, and some day he may leave his fingerprints on a Lombardi prize.
If so, though, it will be in large part because of one underappreciated talent evaluator who had beaten him to it.
Contact Jack McCaffery@jmccaffery@21st-centurymedia.com
