During his introductory press conference for the Philadelphia Eagles, former Detroit Lions running back D’Andre Swift made it clear that he will always have a place in his heart for his first NFL home.
But Swift was also definitive about not liking how he was portrayed in last year’s season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”
“I know what I’m about. I know I’m as tough as they come,” Swift said in his introductory press conference. “But, with ‘Hard Knocks’ and everything, kind of how they portrayed [me], I didn’t like it.
“But, I can’t do nothing about it, but go out there and showcase what I am and who I am and what I’m about. And, I know what I can do and who I am.”
Lions Used ‘Tough Love’ on Swift
Fans and executives around the league placed high expectations on Swift when he came to Detroit as the No. 35 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. But injuries and a lack of opportunities appeared to keep him from posting better statistics in 2020 and 2021.
So going into his third season, Lions running back Duce Staley pushed Swift to be even better.
“You can be the best in this league, you really can,” Staley said to Swift, which was shown in a Hard Knocks episode last year. “But, what you got to do is this: You got to have that dog mentality.
“If you would have stiff-armed him there, you might have f****** scored. You’re making it too easy for him. “They’re already scared of you getting out there. Finish it! C’mon, man. Finish it!
“Be hungry. Be greedy for every f****** yard. Go get it. That’s the mentality. ‘Every yard out there is mine.’ Don’t be satisfied with that s***, man. Every time you step between them f****** lines, you got to believe you’re the f****** best. You got to believe it.”
While Staley complimented Swift for his talent during Hard Knocks, the coaching staff’s hard approach on Swift led some to believe he wasn’t tough enough or motivated enough to be his very best.
It’s important to keep in mind, though, Hard Knocks is a show aiming to sometimes portray people more as characters. Clearly, Swift didn’t like his character’s portrayal.
Lions Traded Swift to Eagles After Drafting Jahmyr Gibbs
From Detroit’s perspective, the portrayal of Swift may have been accurate from their perspective. Otherwise, it’s hard to envision a team giving up on a running back who averaged 5.5 yards per carry in 2022 and is still only 24 years old.
At the very least, the Lions liked rookie Jahmyr Gibbs even better. So they didn’t hesitate to draft the Alabama running back at No. 12 overall.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Lions liked Gibbs so much that they almost took him at No. 6.
With Gibbs and newly signed free agent David Montgomery, there wasn’t any room for Swift in the Lions running back room. On Day 3 of the draft, Detroit traded the 24-year-old back and a seventh-round pick (No. 249 overall) to the Eagles for a seventh-round pick (No. 219 overall) and a 2025 fourth-rounder.
In Philadelphia, it will be interesting to see if the Eagles take a more player-friendly approach in their training of Swift.
Comments
Ex-Lions RB D’Andre Swift Fires Message Following Trade to Eagles