You've been lied to. It's a white lie, but a lie nonetheless. How often have you heard the 'Individual accolades don't matter.'? How often have you been told 'These guys only care about whether the team wins"? Let's be frank. The Philadelphia Eagles are a united front, but there's a dichotomy. Guys are simultaneously trying to 'get theirs'.
Don't read what hasn't been written. Don't hear what hasn't been said. We didn't call anyone 'selfish'., but this is how the game is played.
There isn't an alpha male walking around who doesn't want to win collectively and individually. Doing the latter is what is discussed during contract negotiations.
Still not convinced? Ask yourself this? How often do you see professional athletes trim a few dollars off that new extension so the team can sign other players?
No, that isn't their responsibility, nor should it be. There's also no rule stating Saquon Barkley can't win a Super Bowl and the MVP trophy.
Here are thoughts about each of the five Eagles who are nominated for postseason awards from the Associated Press.
Why are we bringing this up you ask? It's simple. The Associated Press hands out postseason awards annually, and this time around, five Philadelphia Eagles are finalists.
Excellence runs through Philly.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 23, 2025
Congrats to our FIVE AP Awards Finalists 👏 pic.twitter.com/Z5AdkEdTQG
You can bet your last dollar, Birds fans will blow their trumpets and take to these streets to scream 'all that matters is winning the Super Bowl'.
Again, don't read what hasn't been written. Don't hear what hasn't been said. This Eagles team is united. There's one overreaching goal that bonds the men in the locker room.
There's a Super Bowl to be won, but the NFL is also a business. Zack Baun's extension will look a lot better with a Defensive Player of the Year nod on his resume.
Still not convinced? Ask Saquon Barkley if he returned those incentives. Then, ask Lane Johnson how he feels about that SECOND-TEAM All-Pro nomination. Ask them to be honest. You might be surprised by the response.
You get the point. Let's shift gears and talk about those AP Awards finalists.
Saquon Barkley - League MVP, Offensive Player of the Year
Look guys! Saquon Barkley is nominated for two awards but sadly probably only in the running for one of them. This is one of the NFL's unwritten rules. The MVP trophy is a quarterback's award.
Maybe Kellen Moore should have called a few half-back passes, but regardless of who the Associated Press hands the trophy to, Saquon is the MVP in the eyes of all Eagles fans.
We know how this ends though. He'll be screwed out of that honor. We think Josh Allen will be named Most Valuable Player and Saquon will take the title of Offensive Player of the Year by a landslide.
Zack Baun - Defensive Player of the Year
What Zack Baun has done has been phenomenal. He's gone from presumed role player to Philly's defensive MVP, and he's one step closer to being the AP's Defensive Player of the Year.
No one's more deserving... 151 tackles... 3.5 sacks... Five QB hits... An interception... Five forced fumbles... Four pass breakups...
Give this man his props. Give him this trophy. Then, give him his money!
Quinyon Mitchell - Defensive Rookie of the Year
Quinyon Michell didn't allow a TD reception until Week 16, and he gave that TD reception up to Terry McLaurin. There's no shame in having that happen.
His future is bright. We'd love to see him take home this honor. No other Eagles rookie has done so, but he'll have to wrestle the trophy away from Jared Verse.
Cooper DeJean - Defensive Rookie of the Year
Cooper DeJean is special. Like Q, he will be for a while. He's deserving of DRPY consideration, but if an Eagle is to win the award, it's probably going to be Mitchell who does so.
Vic Fangio - Assistant Coach of the Year
Only now-former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson can state he has had as much an impact on his unit as Vic Fangio has. Coach Fangio, however, transformed a defense that was in shambles into the NFL's best, but here's the kicker.
Under his leadership, three Eagles are now AP Awards finalists. That says it all for us. Give Vic the trophy!