Arnold Ebiketie's Full-Circle Moment Aided By Eagles Defensive Tackle

The Philadelphia Eagles' newest pass rusher talked about being a fan of the team and who helped him make the decision to sign here.

Dec 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons linebacker Arnold Ebiketie (17) and defensive end Zach Harrison (96) celebrate after a victory over the New York Giants at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

If there’s any doubt that this is becoming Jordan Davis’s defense, look no further than his recruitment of Arnold Ebiketie. It was just a phone call between the two defenders, but one that swayed Ebiketie to sign a one-year contract with the Eagles just days into the start of free agency.

The Eagles made Davis a cornerstone of the franchise with a three-year contract extension before free agency began that will keep the defensive tackle in Philly until he’s 30. They did for his play on the field, his leadership in the locker room, and, now, as the organization's go-to salesperson.

“I was on the phone with him for about 30 minutes before I decided to come to the Eagles,” said Ebiketie, who goes by AK, on a zoom call with reporters on Monday. “I kind of spoke to him and kind of wanted to know the breakdown of how the defense looked like and some of the things that they did in the previous years. So, I would say he’s kind of one of the persons I leaned on in this process.”

Davis was up front with his answer.

Jordan Davis Helped Arnold Ebiketie With Decision

Eagles NT Jordan Davis speaks with reporters after an OTA practice on June 3, 2025. | John McMullen/Eagles On SI

“He told me the obvious,” said Ebiketie. “The Philadelphia Eagle defense, they’re going to put the work in, they’re going to play together, in sync as a defense. They’re going to stop the run and have the opportunity to get after the quarterback. That pretty much aligns with what I’m looking for. That’s why I decided to come here.”

Davis may have played a role, but so did Ebiketie’s familiarity with Philadelphia and its beloved football team, a team that the Cameroon-born pass rusher became a fan of while a freshman at Temple. It was 2017 when Ebiketie showed up on Temple’s campus. It was also the same year the Eagles won their first Super Bowl. The city was buzzing, and he noticed.

“I remember being a young kid at Temple, walking down Cecil B. Moore all the way to Broad Street,” he said. “If I recall, that’s exactly when I became an Eagles fan, just seeing everybody, the joy everybody had in the streets, it was a pretty special moment for me back then.”

It was nearly a special moment in Las Vegas, the site of the NFL draft four years ago. Ebiketie had made a op 30 visit to the Eagles during the pre-draft process, and Philly was where he wanted to be. Instead, the Falcons drafted him 38th overall.

“Looking back at it, I was hoping I’d get drafted by the Eagles,” he said, “but now, a full circle moment and I’m glad to be here.”