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Jason Kelce was selected as the Philadelphia Eagles’ nominee for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year. It’s an award meant to honor players for their excellence off the field, mainly through charity and volunteer work.
The team has been running a series of hype videos to show why Kelce deserves to win it. Which he does. However, the All-Pro center wanted to talk about another player when asked about the honor on Wednesday.
Kelce broke down in tears as he described Lane Johnson – his teammate on the offensive line since 2013 – and why he should be a candidate for the award. Remember, Johnson missed three games this season before openly admitting to his personal battle with mental health issues.
“Lane Johnson, in what he’s openly come back from this year, and to think about the amount of people that he has given hope to,” Kelce told reporters. “That’s the business we’re in. We’re in the business of hope. What we do every day and what we do every game inspires millions of people. What we do off the field, hopefully inspires people. I think that is something that I’m very proud to be one guy, the part of 1000s of men who could do that.”
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Johnson Enjoying Pro Bowl Season
It’s a travesty that Johnson isn’t leading Pro Bowl voting at the tackle spot in the NFC. That honor currently belongs to the New Orleans Saints’ Terron Armstead (82,555). Johnson is enjoying a career year despite missing three games. He has given up the fewest sacks (zero) and quarterback hits (one) of all offensive tackles who have seen at least 350 snaps. Pro Football Focus ranked the 310-pounder as the 19th-best offensive tackle in the NFL out of 82 qualifiers.
Head coach Nick Sirianni recently called Johnson the best tackle he’s ever been around. Paired up with Kelce, they are the heartbeat of the Eagles’ offensive line.
“It starts with Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce. Lane has been playing outstanding,” Sirianni said. “He’s just so big and powerful. To me, he’s the best tackle that I’ve been around in my 12, 13 years in the NFL. He’s somebody that can lockdown his side in pass protection, is powerful and technically sound in the run game of fitting double-team blocks on his way to the linebacker.”
Next Man Up at Wide Receiver
There is a chance wide receiver Quez Watkins could be sidelined in Week 15 against the Washington Football Team. He and running back Jason Huntley both tested positive for COVID-19 and need to turn in back-to-back negative tests prior to Sunday. If Watkins can’t go, the smart money is on John Hightower to get called up.
The Eagles already protected Hightower on the practice squad. They also have Deon Cain and KeeSean Johnson sitting down there. And DeVonta Smith, Jalen Reagor, Greg Ward, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside highlight the active roster.
“Obviously, we have five receivers that we’ve had that we feel confident in getting them the football,” Sirianni said. “So it’s just next man up, and we’ll see how practice goes this week of who we’re going to bring up from the practice squad.”
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