Ex-New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo came out strong last week in blasting most of the NFC East, which included questioning how Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles would handle success.
Veteran Eagles defensive lineman Chris Long pushed back on McAdoo's comments.
"That's kind of a speculative statement, isn't it?" Long said during a call on behalf of the Men's Wearhouse Suit Drive, via ESPN's Tim McManus. "There's no science as to who's going to handle success well or not handle success well. Certainly, no one's given any indication in our organization that we won't handle success well. I think it's a challenge for any team coming off a really great season like we had. That's why you don't see a lot of teams repeat. You don't see a lot of teams back deep in the playoffs. Continuity is one of the hardest things to come by in the NFL.
"Listen, that's his opinion. We don't play each other this year, right? At the end of the day, it's an opinion and he doesn't have to back that up. I respect his right to have an opinion -- he coached in the NFL -- but I mean, come on, there's no science to knowing who's going to handle success well or not."
The Eagles certainly have the talent to repeat as Super Bowl champs. On paper, Philly looks like it could be better than last season. Of course, games aren't played on paper. There is a bevy of questions -- as there are for every team -- the Eagles must contend with in 2018: How will Carson Wentz return from his ACL injury? Will Jason Peters return at full force? How will Michael Bennett fit in the defensive line rotation? Can Jay Ajayi carry a heavier workload? How will the linebacker corps shake out?
Long knows with training camp around the corner (Eagles report on July 25), it's time for players to put last season behind them and begin the 2018 grind.
"Yesterday I watched our fans, rightfully so, shutting down a street to watch the Super Bowl again on the big screen. That's awesome," Long said. "But as players, we need to separate ourselves from that, and we need to show up and realize we have a target on our back. And the hardest thing is, there's going to be reminders of how great we were last year all through the summer and even into the fall. They're going to lower the [championship] banner Week 1. And that is what it is. That has nothing to do with what we do Week 1 or Week 2 or all the way through Week 17. It doesn't give us a right to play in the postseason. It's totally irrelevant. But the fans should enjoy it. And we have to separate ourselves from that buzz that's going on that, deservedly so, the city gets to enjoy."
