After a week off, the Eagles are back and focused on getting ready to host the Dallas Cowboys.
In a crowded locker room session with reporters — can we please limit the number of TV cameras allowed in? — there was a lot to talk about. From injuries to lawsuits to front-office backtalk, it was an eventful day at the NovaCare Complex. Here are the highlights:
Samuel still chirping. After a makeup session with coach Andy Reid, the disgruntled cornerback has turned his venom on the front office. Samuel told reporters that he and Reid are good, but then added that “a couple people upstairs might not want me.”
Samuel never mentioned team president Joe Banner or GM Howie Roseman by name, but the implication was there. “They’re upstairs playing with a lot of money, playing a little fantasy football, so they’re doing their thing,” Samuel said.
Young being sued for assault. The Eagles backup quarterback — best known for his infamous “Dream Team” comment — “suddenly and without provocation” hit a Dallas strip club owner in the face last year, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Young, who was cited for misdemeanor assault, claims he was provoked. The manager at Club Onyx in Dallas said he refused to change $8,000 from Young’s credit card into dollar bills, according to The Associated Press.
Justice back to bench. The Eagles tackle made his first start of the season, at right tackle, two weeks ago against the Redskins. Apparently, he wasn’t good enough. With Jason Peters healthy again and back at left tackle, Justice is the odd man out on the offensive line. The Eagles will start Peters (left tackle), Evan Mathis (left guard), Jason Kelce (center), Danny Watkins (right guard), Todd Herremans (right tackle) this week against Dallas.
Justice, who had been rehabbing from offseason knee surgery, wouldn’t comment on his health since it was forbidden by Reid. However, he did practice Wednesday and said that “if they really needed me to go, I’d be ready to go.” Justice added that he would prefer to start. “As a competitor, you always want to play, start, but that’s not up to me … that’s up to the coaches and I’m on the team, and I’m behind the coaches.”
Jim Johnson remembered. The former Eagles defensive coordinator will be inducted into the team’s Honor Roll at halftime of Sunday night’s game. Johnson, who will go in with former cornerback Eric Allen, will join 33 other Eagle greats.
One of his former students had this to say.
“He was an awesome coach, man,” said defensive tackle Mike Patterson while laughing. “He just inspired guys to go out there and play, and that’s what I liked the most about him. He didn’t have to come out and yell and stuff. He’d just go out there and talk, and you just had so much respect for him. I always enjoyed him. I’ll always miss him.”
Everyone practices. Reid listed no one on the team’s official injury report and everyone practiced, including S Nate Allen (knee), DE Trent Cole (calf), T King Dunlap (back), T Todd Herremans (foot), T Winston Justice (knee), DE Juqua Parker (ankle), T Jason Peters (hamstring), DE Darryl Tapp (pectoral).
No secret to bye-week success. The coach is a perfect 12-0 after the bye in his 12-plus seasons on the Eagles sideline. Still, Reid wouldn’t pinpoint that success on anything in particular.
“You know, I get asked that every year, and I don’t think there’s any secret,” Reid said. “You just do what you do. We’re going to practice just like we did last week and the week before that, and so on.”
