Rashaad Penny Arrives in Philadelphia for a Restart
PHILADELPHIA - Rashaad Penny chose Philadelphia for the opportunity to restart his career and the talented sixth-year running back was intent on making a positive first impression.
Penny, 27, arrived at the NovaCare Complex Auditorium after signing his one-year, prove-it deal by stopping to meet and shake hands with every reporter in attendance.
It was a positive first impression for a productive player who has had difficulty staying on the field for his first five seasons in Seattle.
“I feel like this is a great spot for me to restart my career. It wasn’t a hard decision," Penny said of signing with the Eagles. "A refresh to my career. Changing my narrative”
The narrative Penny spoke of was a lengthy injury history that limited him to 38 games of a potential 66 with the Seahawks.
"It's tough," Penny admitted when asked about his injury history. "... That's like the past and I'm looking way far ahead of that. This is really big for me. I'm healthy now. I'm really ready to go."
When on the field, Penny has been among the most dynamic runners in the NFL, an imposing combination of size and speed who averaged a college-like 6.2 yards per carry over the past two seasons, the best mark in the entire league over the span.
Last season he was limited to five games with a broken fibula but has already been medically cleared for offseason work.
The advanced numbers match up with that dominance with Penny finishing No. 1 in rushing yards over expected per carry in 2021, according to the NFL's Next Gen Stats, when he ran for a career-high 749 yards on 119 carries.
Flashing broad shoulders and thick forearms on his 5-foot-11, 220-pound frame, Penny touted his elusiveness when asked to describe his game.
“I feel like more of a slasher," he said. "I run hard. But I really try to run past people because that’s what I feel like I can do as well. Just trying to tie my game into more of power and setting up guys to run past them.”
Penny is also cognizant of the talent around him on what was the third-ranked offense in the NFL last season.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts had an MVP-level season in 2022-23 while the Eagles' playmakers in the passing game are among the league's best, and the offensive line is arguably tops in football.
Penny did most of his damage in Seattle behind a pedestrian offensive line, a scary thought for opposing defenses.
It's now become almost tradition for the Eagles' on-field leader to serve as an informal welcoming committee to new acquisitions and Hurts was on the ball again when it came to his newest weapon quickly texting Penny.
“He’s ready to win the Super Bowl. I’m on it with him," Penny said of his QB. "I’m with him and I know the whole team is with him, too."
The new back is excited to see a few familiar faces in the building, including defensive back Andre Chachere, a friend since their college days when the two players were rivals with Penny setting records at San Diego State and Chachere trying to stop him at San Jose State.
Assistant head coach/running back coach Jemal Singleton has been familiar with Penny since his record-setting college days as well when the big back rushed for a video game-like 2,248 yards and 23 touchdowns at 7.8 yards per clip as a senior in 2017.
"I've known him for quite a while coming out of college," Penny said of his new position coach. "... We have the same passion for the game. I really love this game just like he does. I can't wait to learn and have him critique me."
With Miles Sanders now in Carolina, Penny will get every opportunity to prove he can be a lead back in Nick Sirianni's offense.
"I want to play 17 games. I want to be available. I’m very excited to be here," said Penny. "I know a lot of big things are going to happen."
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-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
