When Brett Kern used to be offered with the chance to signal with the Philadelphia Eagles because the workforce’s new punter, he instantly knew it used to be the very best have compatibility – he packed his baggage in Tennessee moments after receiving the decision from his agent.
“In my thoughts, I knew I used to be going to kick once more. I simply did not know the place or when, however I knew I nonetheless sought after to stay enjoying. So mentally, I stayed able, bodily stayed able, only for no matter alternative got here, and I am extraordinarily grateful for this one,” Kern mentioned on Wednesday.
It is not simply since the Eagles are a sizzling 12-1 workforce with a locked-up playoff spot and Tremendous Bowl aspirations, or as a result of his 13-year-old son, Bryce, has Jalen Hurts beginning at quarterback in his delusion soccer lineup. Kern attributed a lot of his determination to prior relationships with gamers and workforce individuals around the group.
“The verdict to return right here used to be a no brainer, clearly, as a result of the season y’all are having, but in addition familiarity with numerous folks at the workforce and a few gamers, and realizing Jake (Elliott) and Rick (Lovato).”
The 6-foot-2, 36-year-old punter used to be signed via the Broncos as an undrafted loose agent in 2008. He stayed in Denver till he used to be waived in October, 2009. His subsequent and longest forestall used to be Tennessee, the place he was the group’s all-time main punter, recording 923 profession makes an attempt. He is additionally the workforce’s all-time profession chief in gross punting reasonable (45.9 yards), web punting reasonable (40.8), and punts positioned throughout the 20-yard line (373). His resume earned him 3 immediately Professional Bowl appearances from 2017-19. He used to be launched in the beginning of the season when the workforce signed Ryan Stonehouse, a more youthful and less-expensive 23-year-old rookie.
In Tennessee, he were given to understand a number of individuals who now paintings within the NovaCare Complicated, together with vast receiver A.J. Brown and Senior Athletic Instructor Jerome Reid, amongst others.
His reunion with Brown used to be an excessively welcome one – Kern admitted he used to be disenchanted to look him pass when he used to be traded to the Eagles all through the 2022 draft.
“After I came upon that A.J. were given traded right here, I used to be surely unhappy as a result of he is a super teammate and he is a just right good friend. I had numerous conversations with him within the locker room, joking round,” Kern mentioned.
“With the intention to come right here and know that A.J. used to be right here – I noticed him this morning, gave him a large outdated hug, and stuck up for a bit bit.”
Every other title on that listing is Head Trainer Nick Sirianni. Kern mentioned his father, Cal – the President and Proprietor of the Niagara Energy, an beginner baseball workforce, and the New York State Director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is aware of Sirianni’s dad, Fran, a Jamestown local, thru their Western New York connection.
“It is nice to return someplace whilst you know faces, you might be roughly aware of folks. It makes it a bit bit more straightforward,” mentioned Kern.
Regardless that he hasn’t punted or held but this season, Kern says he is able to get again available in the market.
“While you get at the soccer box, you simply roughly return to what you could have carried out for a very long time,” he mentioned.
“I will ask Jake what he likes, and it will have to almost definitely take me a minute, two mins to determine it out.”
Kern will make his Eagles debut on Sunday in opposition to the Chicago Bears.
The Eagles have answers in position reverse Marcus Epps this Sunday in Chicago.
The workforce’s ultimate damage document contains only one participant indexed out.
Plus, the quarterback gives his point of view at the matchup in opposition to any other vivid, younger quarterback in Justin Fields.
Six of the Bears’ losses were in one-possession video games, so the Eagles be expecting to get Chicago’s easiest coming off the bye week.
The Eagles have the most productive file within the NFL, however they’ll no longer be the primary workforce to clinch a department identify.
We all know in regards to the stars, however consider it or no longer, there are a number of Eagles flying beneath the radar.
The Eagles, in partnership with the 76ers and REFORM Alliance, helped kids adversely suffering from the prison justice device.
The Eagles are headed to Soldier Box.
Will the tight finish go back one week after Avonte Maddox got here off Injured Reserve?
The efficiency via the workforce’s longest-tenured participant is befitting a Comeback Participant of the 12 months candidate.
Be told in regards to the highest-scoring offense within the league’s luck in addition to perception into the roster strikes made on Tuesday.
Copyright © 2022 Philadelphia Eagles. All rights reserved.
