How Parris Campbell overcame his pride to help Eagles from practice squad originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Parris Campbell turned the Eagles down.
After the veteran receiver was released at final cuts following training camp, the Eagles offered him a spot on their practice squad. And the 27-year-old wasn’t interested.
Campbell was once a second-round pick, a starting receiver in the NFL, a productive player. So the thought of being stuck on a practice squad just wasn’t too appealing.
“I think my pride got in the way of things,” Campbell said to NBC Sports Philadelphia this week.
But a couple hours after Campbell turned down the Eagles’ offer, he got a phone call from head coach Nick Sirianni. Campbell and Sirianni go way back. In fact, Sirianni was the offensive coordinator in Indianapolis when the Colts selected Campbell with the No. 59 overall pick out of Ohio State back in 2019.
In this moment, that relationship mattered.
“Nick, obviously he’s in a different role from when he drafted me, but he’s always been a guy that cares about the players,” Campbell said. “And he’s always kept it real and kept it honest with the players. And that’s one thing he did with me. He supports me, he believes in me. If he didn’t, I wouldn’t be back. Having him as some support, it helped because he’s a familiar face. Having an honest conversation, I know he’s always being a hundred.”
Campbell eventually decided to join the Eagles’ practice squad and now he’s glad he did. Because after sitting out Week 1, Campbell has been elevated for each of the last two games — against the Falcons and the Saints.
“It was fun just being out there on the field, doing what I love to do,” Campbell said. “It was a blessing to be out there and I thank God for putting me in that situation. But it was fun.”
And now with both A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (concussion) unlikely to play in Week 4 against the Buccaneers, the Eagles will be…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/parris-campbell-overcame-pride-help-110000746.html
Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia
Publish date : 2024-09-26 11:00:00
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