There's something about a change of scenery. Often, they can shift someone's entire mood. It's funny. We heard and read some negative press about Mekhi Becton before he joined the Philadelphia Eagles, yet somehow, we haven't heard a peep out of him the entire time he's been a member of the Birds' roster.
That changed this week. As you know, Philly road trips to tackle the New York Giants in Week 7 at MetLife Stadium. As a first-round pick of the NY Jets in 2020, MetLife doubled as the location of Mekhi's home stadium from his rookie season until 2023.
Mekhi Becton pulls no punches: ''Everything is just bad about that stadium'.
Saying Mekhi Becton has very few fond memories of his first five years in the NFL as a Jet would be an understatement. Then again, he might, but if he does, he doesn't often share them with anyone he chats with.
"I don't wanna play in that shitty stadium. Those were the words of Philly's starting right guard on Wednesday. Thank Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports for the quote.
He continued... "It's bad. Everything is just bad about that stadium. I don't really like it. I'm just glad I only gotta do it one time a year. Just gotta go in there, do my 1-11 and go home."
Mekhi watched former teammate Aaron Rodgers' debut season with Gang Green end after only four plays. Becton hasn't exactly enjoyed an injury-free start to a career, but even though he was never injured on his home turf, playing on one of the NFL's most unforgiving turfs probably didn't help his quest for a healthy run.
MetLife Stadium's reputation preceded it, and that rep isn't very solid. Think of it as a new school Veterans Stadium.
"I know he's excited," Becton said of Barkley (quote from Kerr's piece). "We both know what New York meant to us and we both know how New York did us. I'm just gonna let him be his own little space and I'll be in my own little space. Towards game day, we gonna both do that."
This is a business trip, a Saquon Barkley revenge game if you will. No one is ever really a fan of making the trip there, but fingers are crossed this way for an injury-free day and an Eagles trip home with another win on the ledger.