Ndamukong Suh Willing to Accept Whatever Role Eagles Have in Mind
PHILADELPHIA – Another day, another pro Bowler with a Super Bowl ring took his place at his new locker inside the Eagle’s NovaCare Complex as a crush of reporters closed in.
A day after Linval Joseph answered questions, it was Ndamukong Suh’s turn on Friday.
“They all welcomed me with open arms, which is obviously great, something everybody would wish for me,” said Suh when asked what it was like walking into the locker room for the first time.
“For me, just getting acclimated to make sure at some point in time I can add value, and that’s always what I’ve prided myself throughout my career is adding value, being one of those guys that’s a team guy and being somebody who can help take us over the hump to wherever we want to go.”
Neither defensive lineman has played since January, but both Joseph and Suh are ready to pitch in to help the Eagles make a Super Bowl push.
Whether that push begins Sunday in Indianapolis when the Eagles play the Colts (1 p.m./CBS) is unknown.
The guess here is, yes, they will play a decent number of snaps.
Both have played in every scheme imaginable during their 13 years in the league, and there doesn't seem much point in having what amounts to an eight-game regular-season rental waste any time getting started.
“That’s all up to the coaches,” said Suh. “I’m going to study my hardest. I just got in here late (Thursday) night at 11, went through physicals, and I just left with my coach right now studying some more.
"I’ll get back to the books (Friday night) after I run through some stuff then go from there.”
Ndamukong Suh enters the locker room on his first day as a member of the Eagles.
John McMullen/SI Fan Nation Eagles Today
Suh and Joseph entered the league in 2010, with Suh the second overall pick behind Sam Bradford and Joseph in the second round. It’s also the same year Brandon Graham came to the NFL.
There aren’t many from that class still playing, and to put it in perspective, the Eagles' second-round pick that year was Nate Allen, who was done playing six years ago.
Throughout that whole time, Suh, who will be 36 in early January, has never missed a game due to injury.
“It’s something I take great pride in,” he said. “I’ve trained immensely, very hard, and I’ve got an amazing team that helps me through that process each and every single year, every offseason, every in-season.
"It’s a lot of hard work, and it’s something I pride myself in. I’m going to continue to do that, so long as I play this game.”
Like Joseph said on Thursday, an opportunity to win another Super Bowl ring was what pushed Suh in the Eagles' direction.
“I’m not going to sit here and lie to you and say I was gonna play for any old team,” he said. “I want to have an opportunity to go and earn a ring, and celebrate that with my family, and especially my teammates and the people I did it with.
“For me, it’s important, like you said earlier, I’ve been able to have amazing accolades just from the standpoint of individual (achievements), but it’s more than that at this particular stage of my life.”
Fletcher Cox, the player whose snaps could be most drastically altered, was one of the first to reach out to Suh when he was signed. The two built a relationship from having met back in 2015 when the Dolphins and Eagles held a joint practice that summer in Philly.
“We have mutual respect for each other obviously both being elite players,” said Suh.
He went on to say, “I don’t have a problem, by any means, playing a role. I’ve always played a role in my career, whether that’s being – as you call it – a star, but it’s also being a leader, being a guy that’s able to help other people bring along their talent.
“At the end of the day, when you’re playing defensive line, it’s always about a collective group that’s playing at an elite level. And you’re only as good as your weakest link.”
There don’t appear to be many weak links on this D-line, provided the two mid-30-somethings can play to their potential in a role designed to not stress them with too many snaps.
Then, when rookie Jordan Davis is ready to return from IR, it figures to only get stronger.
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
