Eagles Unite With High School Teams Affected by Gun Violence

The team went to their home stadium after Wednesday's practice to show support for two high school teams whose playoff game on Friday was suspended due to a shooting, and it was learned that a 10-year-old boy who had been shot had died earlier in the day

Wins and losses didn’t matter to the Eagles on Wednesday.

When practice ended, several of them dressed quickly and boarded vans outside the locker room that took them a mile or so down the street from their training facility in South Philadelphia to their home stadium, Lincoln Financial Field.

Inside the Linc, players from two New Jersey high schools, Pleasantville and Camden, had gathered to play the final 17 minutes of their playoff game that had been suspended on Friday night after a shooting broke out midway through the third quarter at the Pleasantville Athletic Complex, about an hour outside of Philly.

On Tuesday, the Eagles organization stepped up and offered the Linc for the two teams to complete the game, with only family members of the players and coaches allowed in to watch.

On Wednesday, the game took place and several Eagles and head coach Doug Pederson and players and coaches from both teams shook hands on the field.

“It’s obviously a tragic situation that you don't want anybody to go through and especially during the middle of a game,” said Pederson. “These kids are out there with their families and their friends and their enjoying a game on a nice fall (Friday) night and something like this happens, and it's tragic.

“Then on our side of it, to be able to provide an opportunity, one, a place to finish the game, but, two, to kind of reach out and lend support that they're not alone in this endeavor, and that the Eagles have really stepped up and, again, provided The Linc and provided an opportunity for them to finish the game and have a great experience with their families, with the two teams obviously. It should be exciting for them this afternoon.”

Some of the Eagles in attendance were quarterback Carson Wentz, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, defensive end Brandon Graham, tight end Zach Ertz, center Jason Kelce, left tackle Jason Peters, kicker Jake Elliott, and safeties Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod.

“Very tough situation,” said Wentz. “It’s a tragedy in itself. It’s really unfortunate that it happened in a public setting the way it did, at a football game. It’s Friday night lights. It’s something that kids just dream about playing in. It’s something that I will cherish for the rest of my life, playing in Friday night lights.

“When a tragedy like that happens, it’s no fun. You hate to see it. You pray for the families and everyone involved. It’s really cool to see the organization step out and reach out and try to make a difference. It might not undo what’s happened, but just try to bring some joy and get those families to keep moving forward. It’s cool that organization is able to do that on a consistent basis when those types of things happen.”

None of the players knew just how tragic the event was until the pregame warmups had been completed.

Before the playing of the national anthem, the stadium announcer informed everyone that 10-year-old Micah Tennant, one of three bystanders shot in the melee at Pleasantville, had died from his wounds earlier on Wednesday, and there was a moment of silence. Tennant had been shot in the neck.

A 27-year-old-man and a 15-year-old boy were also hurt. The injured adult male had a gun at the game and faces weapons charges, police said.

Charges against 31-year-old Alvin Wyatt, one of five men charged in connection with the shooting, were upgraded to murder.

Four other men who attended the game were charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and another weapons charge.

"Words at this time seem so insufficient to portray the anger and outrage that our community feels," said Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner in a news release. "However, his spirit will live on in so many people that he inspired."

Some athletes chose to display the number 10 on their uniforms.

“We are proud to stand united with the Camden and Pleasantville communities to demonstrate that acts of violence won’t win,” said Philadelphia Eagles President Don Smolenski. “The game of football is a unifier, and on behalf of the National Football League, the Philadelphia Eagles are honored to unite all of us (Wednesday).”