Coming to a 12-1 Eagles Team Was a No-Brainer For Brett Kern

The veteran punter and holder had other offers as the season went on, but none that made sense, then Philly called after Arryn Siposs went on IR with an ankle injury

PHILADELPHIA – It was an easy decision for Brett Kern.

When a 12-1 team calls and asks you to punt for them, the answer is a no-brainer.

“It’s awesome to come to a place that’s 12-1 and see the culture,” he said on Wednesday at his makeshift locker in the middle of the Eagles’ locker room. “It’s not a mistake they’re 12-1.”

The decision was even easier considering that Kern’s 13-year-old son is into fantasy football and his quarterback is Jalen Hurts.

“He was really excited when I told him I was coming here,” said Kern, who will likely be this team’s punter and holder on PATs and field goals the rest of the season, including playoffs, because the injury to Arryn Siposs required a set of crutches and a trip to Injured Reserve.

The Eagles signed Kern to the practice squad and will elevate him to punt and hold against the Bears in Chicago on Sunday. There is an open roster spot after Siposs was put on IR, but that will likely go to tight end Dallas Goedert, who is eligible to return from IR this week.

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Perhaps another roster spot will open for Kern at some point.

Kern, 36 who punted for 13 years with the Titans, has been on winning teams before. He went 14-2 early in his career - but there was a catch.

“My second year when I was in Denver, the Broncos started out 6-0 then I got cut, went to Tennessee, finished the year 8-2, so I went 14-2 that year, the only thing is we didn’t go to the playoffs because of where Tennessee was at with their record,” he said.

Kern said he tried to stay ready by working out with a few other punters and some long snappers at a local high school where he lives in Nashville, Lipscomb Academy. He played some golf and watched as many games as possible, and Red Zone, too, with his son to stay in tune with what was going on in the league.

He had a few other offers from other teams as the season went along, but none that made sense for him and his family.

His agent called him on Sunday after Siposs went down with an injury and told him to be ready. He had just gotten back from church with his wife and kids when his agent told him to pack a bag, he was going to Philadelphia.

“In my mind, I knew I would kick again, I just didn’t know where or when,” he said. “I knew I still wanted to keep playing, so mentally I stayed ready, physically I stayed ready just for whatever opportunity came and I’m extremely thankful for this one.”

Kern said he had familiarity with plenty of people in the Eagles’ orbit, including one of the team’s masseuses.

The first thing he did when he arrived at the team’s training complex was to give A.J. Brown a big hug. The two were teammates at Tennessee.

“When I found he got traded here I was genuinely sad because he’s a great teammate, he’s a good friend,” said Kern. “I had a lot of conversations with him in the locker room, a lot of joking around, so to be able to come here and know A.J. was here, we caught up a little bit.

“He gave me a lay of the land on where to live and that kind of stuff. He’s a great guy and I’m glad I’m teammates with him.”

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.