When the Philadelphia Eagles take the field against the Doug Pederson and the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9, it won't be the only spectacle fans will be treated to at Lincoln Financial Field.
That's right, after a decade away, LeSean McCoy, the Harrisburg-born former second-round pick out of Pitt who holds many of the all-time Philadelphia rushing records, will return the Linc, shake hands with Jeffery Lurie, and officially become the latest induction into the Eagles Hall of Fame.
But what does this mean for the current Eagles, none of whom played with Shady McCoy? Does he still hold weight as one of the faces of the franchise from a generation ago? Or do players now know him more for his new podcast with DeSean Jackson and his appearances on FS1?
Asked about McCoy and his career in Philly by reporters on Friday, Nick Sirianni celebrated Shady, noting that he is one of his all-time favorite Eagles players.
“I was able to follow his career quite a bit. I was at IUP when he was at Pitt and in Philly. Then his brother, right before I got there, played at IUP. So a lot of the guys that I coached with or that still played there were friends with his brother. So there was a natural following there of us watching him,” Sirianni told reporters.
I was able to see a lot, and I always thought how special he was with the ball in his hands, making guys miss in space. There was a big time game they had against West Virginia. I remember watching him play in that game. He just had this special ability. So I think that when I got here, I knew a lot about him. But then when you get here, you hear how great of a player he was. One of the all-time greats for the Eagles. My number was 25. I have a special thing with the guys that wear number 25. And so again, knew a lot about him prior to coming here and just thought how awesome he was with the football.”
Interesting stuff, right? Well, wait, it gets even better, as Sirianni actually has a specific game he often turns to as an educational tool for his players.
Nick Sirianni: LeSean McCoy was special for the Eagles
Turning his attention to his favorite plays and games of McCoy's career, Sirianni tabbed the Snow Bowl game against the Detroit Lions as his top pick, noting that his ability to stop on a dime in the snow was truly impressive.
“To answer your question, the main thing I've probably learned is that snow game. I always hear about that snow game against Detroit, how everybody was slipping on the field, and he was making these cuts at full speed. That's the special type of player he is. And I've gotten to talk to him multiple times. I think so highly of him. Always appreciate his support when he's talking to me about the team as a former Eagle,” Sirianni told reporters.
“And then interestingly, when we first got to Indy, he was at Buffalo in the snow game when Buffalo played Indy. I remember him making those cuts in that game as well.
“Again, just awesome with the ball in his hands. I don't think he put the ball on the ground very often. We talk about the ball a lot. He's a little loose with it. (Smiling.) Just kidding. He knew how to take care of it, and he knew when to take care of it. He knew how to get the ball away. Man, he was a special guy to watch. I'm really excited for him. Man, you go through these things, and then you go into the team's Hall of Fame. That's pretty special. Obviously, a special career by him.”
With Week 9 rapidly approaching, it's safe to assume that plenty of fans, pundits, and players alike will come out with their stories about McCoy and what he meant to the Eagles. But as far as individual performances are concerned? Yeah, it will be hard to find one better than Week 14 of the 2013 season.
