After Zack Baun proved it in his first year in Philadelphia, he wanted to continue to show off as an Eagle.
Following a one-year deal in 2024 that turned into an All-Pro campaign and Super Bowl championship, Baun inked a three-year, $51 million deal that made him the fourth-highest-paid linebacker in the league.
"I really actually didn't want to leave," he said Wednesday, via The Philadelphia Inquirer. "What we built here, the culture here, and honestly, now that I'm thinking about it, I was just a piece of the puzzle that was put into a great culture already established."
After years out of place in New Orleans, Baun fit like a glove in Vic Fangio's scheme in Philly, becoming a sideline-to-sideline menace. Baun led the top-ranked total defense with 151 tackles and five forced fumbles in 2024. He also added one interception. He was one of two players since at least 2000 with 150-plus tackles and five-plus forced fumbles in a season (the Colts' Zaire Franklin also did so in 2024).
"I felt like toward the end of the season, I was playing so confidently that I knew I was going to make a play," Baun said. "I just couldn't tell you what it was going to be or when or where, but I'm excited to build off of that confidence and continue to find myself in this scheme."
A year ago, Baun sought to revamp his career, looking for the right on-field solution. This year, staying in Philly was about making a home.
"We absolutely love it here," the 28-year-old said. "It's nice to be here in one place. My wife does a fantastic job of coordinating things for me and my family. I'm just so thankful for where football has taken my life."
The Eagles have become a place where one-year, prove-it players can revamp the narrative of their careers. In Baun's case, he proved enough that general manager Howie Roseman eschewed a long-standing trend of not paying off-ball linebackers significant money.
"I feel like this team and this place is very good for that and guys that want to sign that one-year, prove-it deal and do what they can," Baun said. "For the guys we brought in, I think the fit could be really good for them, and I'm excited, really excited."
