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Ryan Kerrigan was so impressed with the energy inside the Philadelphia Eagles’ building that he spurned two other teams. Maybe the HITS Principle was the selling point.
Seriously. Kerrigan really dug the positive vibes emanating from new head coach Nick Sirianni and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. So much so that the 32-year-old cut off talks with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals and signed with the Eagles. Energy like that can’t be manufactured. Or faked.
“They’re positive dudes, you can tell not only that the energy is going to be present in the meeting room but on the practice field as well,” Kerrigan told reporters. “And when you got that kind of energy going, it really picks up the tempo at practices and whatnot so it allows guys to really engage and focus. That was really one of the things I was most impressed with, really the entire staff but Coach Gannon in particular.”
Kerrigan couldn’t stop raving about the new coaching staff, adding new defensive line coach Tracy Rocker to the mix of energetic voices. He was sold on Philly after watching film and “talking ball” with them. No exact role was discussed, but Kerrigan doesn’t care.
“I just want to be someone who comes on the field and makes plays whether that’s in the run game or pass game,” Kerrigan said. “I don’t have a target number of snaps, no. However many reps I’m on the field I want to be able to be impactful and make plays and just do stuff to help the team.”
The veteran pass rusher saw 397 defensive snaps last year in a situational role for Washington. He recorded 5.5 sacks while transitioning from a 3-4 linebacker to a 4-3 defensive end in Ron Rivera’s scheme. He also played 4-3 defensive end in college at Purdue. The Eagles don’t plan to institute a set scheme in 2021, preferring to adjust to their personnel on a weekly and matchup-driven basis.
“Coach Gannon knows ball. He knows his personnel. He’s going to put us in a position that is conducive to us being successful,” Kerrigan said. “I feel like no matter what the role is to fill, I feel pretty comfortable doing it because when you’re on the line of scrimmage it’s all really … you’re doing most of the same things, it might just be in a different way.”
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Joining ‘Good End’ of Fierce NFC East Rivalry
Kerrigan spent 10 years wearing Burgundy and Gold in our nation’s capital. He recalled fondly his many bus trips to Philly over the years, especially the obnoxious (endearing?) catcalls from Eagles fans.
“Coming in on the bus we were often met with some not very kind words and gestures,” Kerrigan said, with a smirk. “But I always appreciated that because that means the fans care. They care about the team. They care about the product that the team is putting on the field. And so I’m excited to be on the good end of that now.”
Twice a year he circled those Eagles games on his calendar, too. Kerrigan knew he had to bring his A-game against Lane Johnson, one of the best right tackles in football. Now he’s looking forward to their upcoming training camp battles.
“He’s a hell of a player,” Kerrigan said of Johnson. “There’s a reason why he’s been at the top of his game for so long and I’m excited to work with him in practice each day because I feel like that’s only going to make us both better. It’s going to be a lot more fun than going against him in the games.”
Rebuild? What Rebuild?
The general consensus around the NFL has the Eagles in full-on rebuild mode. And while it’s true they are slowly turning over the roster and trying to get younger, turnarounds tend to happen faster in professional football than in any other sport. Kerrigan saw a franchise just four years removed from a Super Bowl, including three straight playoff appearances, before that disheartening 4-11-1 season in 2020. He saw plenty of positives to lure him to town.
“As a player, you can’t look at it that way,” Kerrigan said. “As a player, you got to look at it and say, ‘I gotta perform no matter what the case is.’ People forget that Philly had just been in the playoffs three straight years before last season so the prices are definitely still there. So that was definitely a big factor in me coming here, too.”
Kerrigan also expects to reprise his mentor role from Washington where he helped groom and unleash young pass rushers like Chase Young and Montez Sweat on the NFL. That duo combined for 16.5 sacks last year while helping to unintentionally expedite Kerrigan’s exit. He has already talked to Eagles veterans Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox about being a team leader.
“I feel like I’ve got a lot to pass on from the mental side of the game,” Kerrigan said, “and I’m excited to do that with some of the guys here like I’ve done with some of the guys in Washington over the years. I’ve been fortunate to be in this league for a long time, 10 years, so I felt like I’ve learned a lot.”
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