Jonathan Greenard Fired Up About Playing For Eagles' Passionate Fan Base

PHILADELPHIA – Jonathan Greenard wasted little time getting immersed in the Philadelphia culture. Not just inside the Eagles’ Jefferson Health Training Complex, but outside of those confines, too.

The Eagles’ recently acquired pass rusher, acquired in a Friday night trade from the Minnesota Vikings then signing a new four-year deal worth $100 million, has never played inside his new home, Lincoln Financial Field. He said he was here for a preseason game last summer with Minnesota, but those games don’t have the same, let’s say urgency, from the fan base.

Greenard waw that up close on Friday night when he went to Game 3 of the Sixers’ playoff game against the Boston Celtics, shortly after passing his physical and signing his new contract. He was blown away by the atmosphere.

“To only get a taste of what the Sixers game was (Friday) night, and man, they lost but, that was a crazy environment,” he said Saturday morning. “I was just at the Hawks game back home in Georgia and looking at that and comparing that, I was like this environment was way, way, way better. No disrespect to them, but, ultimately, it’s just different up here and they take pride in everything they do. It’s a blue-collar city.”

Jonathan Greenard: It's All About Respect

When Greenard heard about the trade, he said he couldn’t hop on a plane fast enough. Not that he was eager to get out of Minnesota, but to join an Eagles team that he called an historic organization.

“When you work your tail off (in Philly), everything will be rewarded back to you,” he said. “They’re just passionate, and I love that. Ultimately, they want one thing, and we want the same thing. I carry that on the chip on my shoulder. I respect the hell out of this city, I respect the hell out of this organization, and I understand what putting this jersey on, putting this helmet on, actually means to this city and I’m going to take pride in that.”

Fan base aside, Greenard’s production dip last year, after posting back-to-back double-digit sack seasons, could be cause for alarm. Despite having just three sacks, his QB pressure rate of 13.7 percent ranked seventh-best in the NFL, Greenard isn’t alarmed.

“A couple times, I had guys in my grasp, in my arms,” he said. “I think just lowering the center of my target at times. Mostly, I’m trying to go for the ball, go for the kill shot, or something like that. Eyes get big at times. I think a lot of stuff goes into that. I still feel like I rushed well. I still feel like I was getting back there. I feel like my moves didn’t drop off as well.”

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