Getty D'Andre Swift runs away from the Rams in a 2021 game.
Growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, there was never any question who D’Andre Swift would root for before he was a high-level player in the league. The answer was the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now, this Sunday, Swift will get a chance to run against the Eagles with the Detroit Lions, and it’s a moment that will be a special one for him and a long time coming. Swift is having a solid start to the season, and is excited for the chance to show himself against his childhood team.
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Speaking to the media on Thursday, October 28 in an interview posted to DetroitLions.com, Swift talked about his childhood and who he rooted for. As he said, Detroit’s opponents in Week 8 were the pick, but his allegiances have obviously switched in a major way ahead of this encounter.
“I was a real big Eagles fan,” Swift admitted to the media. “That’s where I’m from, so I always wanted to root them on coming from the city of Philadelphia, but not this week.”
Having Swift be able to play his hometown and childhood team is not just a thrill for him, but his family as well. It’s a moment that will be one of a kind this week when it plays out on the Ford Field turf. That’s something Swift is not taking for granted at all.
“Living out my dream, being able to play the NFL team I grew up watching. Having the opportunity to play against them, it’s a blessing,” Swift told the media.
There is no doubt that Swift will be running extra hard when he gets the football in order to show something extra to the folks at home.
Swift Enjoying Working With Duce Staley
A big part of Swift’s childhood was watching Duce Staley, Detroit’s running backs coach. Staley took over the spot in Detroit last offseason, and as a result, gets to work with Swift all the time. It’s a moment that Swift doesn’t take for granted at all, and one he still finds amazing given his connection with Staley even ahead of the time they currently spend together in Detroit.
“It’s crazy how stuff works out. He was the guy I talked to the most with stuff at the NFL Combine process, so it’s crazy how he ended up being my coach and everything like that,” Swift said to the media. “I definitely was a big fan of him when he played for the Eagles.”
Working with a player you grew up being a fan of has to be an amazing moment, and there is no doubting the fact that Swift has the Staley connection from Philadelphia to Detroit to rely on now.
Swift’s Career Stats and Highlights
Coming into the league as a rookie in 2020, Swift has seen the ball plenty with the Lions and he has done a nice job to deliver for the most part when his number has been called. 521 yards and 8 touchdowns have been a nice start to the career for Swift, and if anything, he has proven he can be elusive and be the lead dog for the team’s backfield situation moving forward.
Here’s a look at some of Swift’s best work:
Arguably the best runner on the board in the last draft and a player who many figured would go off the board with a first-round pick, Swift is a hard charging back out of Georgia who was tough in his career playing in the SEC. With 2,885 yards and 20 touchdowns in his career in college, there was little doubting how well Swift would do at toting the rock and fitting in well within Detroit’s backfield situation. Now that he has transitioned amazingly to the pros, there is even less of a question about his readiness. So far this year, Swift has been solid with 652 total yards and 5 touchdowns.
This week, Swift will be ready to compete against the team he grew up watching, and it will be a special moment for him as well as his whole family.