Subscribe
Follow Us
In Week 15, when the Philadelphia Eagles were stranded deep in their own territory on a drive in the fourth quarter, they called on a fan-favorite running back to march the team down the field and ultimately ice out the game on a near-quarter-spanning drive: Saquon Barkley Kenneth Gainwell.
That's right, with a win nearly in hand but Barkley shaken up from an earlier game hit, Gainwell took it upon himself to march the Eagles down the field, securing two key third downs along the way, to cap off a 27-13 win in the Battle of Pennsylvania.
Discussing what he saw from Gainwell in the game and how cool it was to see him shine in such a marquee game, Kellen Moore complemented number 14 for always being ready, as he's an important part of the team both now and into the future.
“Kenny is the best. Just to have a guy behind [RB] Saquon [Barkley] like Kenny, who’s played very valuable roles in this league for a number of years now. A guy who, in a lot of other circumstances, is probably getting a lot more touches, a lot more opportunities. The way he handles himself and the way he prepares is second to none,”
“And the way he and Saquon team up on this thing and rally together, and [RB] Will [Shipley] is in that equation as well, I think it’s a really special group. There are no egos. They’re all in it for each other. I think Kenny has done an excellent job when he is called upon and given that opportunity, he takes advantage of it. His ability to play in space, he made some big-time plays.”
Is Moore on the money? Would Gainwell be playing a bigger role on another team or even this one if he wasn't RB2 to the reigning rushing champ? It's hard to say, but when the Eagles needed him to step up, the pride of Memphis did just that, and fans in Philadelphia couldn't have been prouder.
Nick Sirianni is proud to have Gainwell on the Eagles, too
Discussing Gainwell's play during his first press conference of Week 16, head coach Nick Sirianni put over Kenny G's efforts too, telling reporters that he, too, is proud to have his fellow 2020 addition on the roster.
“I think the guys make fun of him sometimes because they know he’s one of my favorites. I say, ‘Don’t say that to anybody.’ I think they just perceive that because I’m always talking to [RB Kenneth Gainwell] Kenny to reinforce what you want your culture to look like. ‘Hey, guys, it takes everybody. Watch this. The two opportunities that Kenny got, watch what he does with it.’ Now he’s contributing on special teams, and I don’t just mean returning. He’s making tackles on special teams. Every opportunity that he has, he takes advantage of,” Sirianni told reporters.
“What’s there not to love about Kenny Gainwell? I think you set me up here because you knew I was going to gush about Kenny. I love having him on this football team. I’ve loved getting to know him more and more over the last four years of being together. He’s a special, special player. He’s a special, special teammate. Really, he speaks so much to what our culture is here. He may not have a ‘C’ on his chest, but he leads in his own way. He’s really taken advantage of all the opportunities that he’s gotten here, and that goes back. That has been consistent through the last four years here with the Eagles.”
In a team sport like football, not everyone can be a “star.” If Sirianni is this excited about the contributions of a role player, then that really is a testament to the Eagles' depth heading into the playoffs.
