Isaac Seumalo leaves after underappreciated but brilliant Eagles tenure
After joining the Oregon State Beavers in 2012, Isaac Seumalo became the first true freshman to start at center since 1978. 13 NCAA games later, he had earned Freshman All-American honors by College Football News and CBSSports.com. He earned an honorable mention as an All-Pac-12 standout. He earned Second-Team All-Pac-12 honors in 2013. That was pretty much the extent of his NCAA accolades. Trust us on this one. Had he played in the SEC, he would have earned more.
The Philadelphia Eagles selected him 79th overall, during Round 3 of the 2016 NFL Draft. The trophy case added more hardware. He’ll be the owner of a Super Bowl ring forever, but the individual accolades never came. He’s never been an All-Pro. He’s never been added to a Pro Bowl roster, but trust and believe something.
There isn’t a single Eagles fan that doesn’t understand the value he has given this team during 81 regular-season games and another nine postseason appearances with a total of 66 starts during his seven-year run with the midnight green.
Isaac Seumalo is no longer a member of the Eagles roster, and it’s time to say thank you.
It’s hard to be the star when you play on an offensive line that’s loaded with a few. That’s what Isaac Seumalo has been dealing with for seven seasons. He’s played next to Jason Kelce and Jason Peters, and after Brandon Brooks retired, he settled in as the permanent starter at right guard but did so with Lane Johnson to his right.
During his seven-year run, his position coach, the best in the business Jeff Stoutland, transformed a rugby player who had never played football into a star left tackle. That grabbed our attention and still commands it… Understandably so… In 2021, the Eagles drafted another great offensive lineman, Landon Dickerson. This past season, he landed on the Pro Bowl roster. Isaac, at no fault of his own, has yet to make his first
Isaac Seumalo has been in the shadows of star teammates for a long time. All he did was come to work every day without complaining. We know that because most Eagles fans have never heard him talk and don’t know what his voice sounds like.
Think about it. You might be one of those people.
The reality of things for guys like that is they are asked to do the dirty work. They’re the grinders. They often don’t make the same paycheck that their teammates make. We only tend to mention them if they screw up and draw a flag for a holding penalty or an offsides call.
Yep! When you aren’t the star, that’s the hustle, but Isaac deserves more than that. He deserves a thank you, and we sincerely thank him for all that he has done.
He’ll play his football for the other NFL team in Pennsylvania now. Jordan Schultz of The Score reports that he will officially sign a three-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but trust and believe something. His contribution to the Birds won’t be forgotten.
Good luck Isaac, except for when your and the Eagles’ paths cross, but we’ll most certainly watch a few more Steelers this season and pull for you. We’re certain that you’ll get the shine you deserve now.
