When an athlete gets to Philadelphia, they could become a beloved fan favorite or hated from every corner of the town.
Eagles cornerback James Bradberry hasn’t been in the city of brotherly love for a full year yet but he’s seen the best and worst over his run with the team already. In the end, he’s shown every reason why he is perfectly made for a city like Philly.
In his first season with the Eagles, Bradberry was a lockdown corner, gaining a second-team All-Pro nomination while being a key cog in a defense that was the best against the pass.
His controversial holding call in Super Bowl LVII not only ended the Eagles’ chances of a second Lombardi but soured what was an incredible year. But the fact that he re-signed with the team to the tune of a 3-year, $38 million contract showed that he felt he had unfinished business with the Birds and the rest of the NFC.
“I had a lot of uncertainty going into free agency but it’s a great situation here and I love being here,” Bradberry explained of returning to Philly. “The talent on the team. The coaches we have. The cafeteria. I’m a foodie.”
Consistency for the Eagles secondary…
Bradberry is expected to help, alongside Darius Slay, to maintain a top secondary with the Eagles new defensive coordinator. Sean Desai was hired by the team after Jonathan Gannon left for Arizona leaving behind a new form of technique for the top corner duo to learn.
“He seems like a smart guy. I love playing for smart coaches who put us in a position to make plays,” Bradberry said of Desai.
In the end, though, the controversial holding call on JuJu Smith-Schuster could inevitably be the play that Bradberry is remembered for in Philadelphia. While the 29-year-old has been a consummate professional after the play, the same cannot be said for the receiver on the play.
Juju has taken to social media several times to make fun of Bradberry’s hold throughout the past offseason. The newly signed Patriot posted an “I’ll hold you” Valentine’s joke further inciting the anger from the rest of the franchise’s top players.
Bradberry on the other hand, is ready to put the play behind him and focus for his rematch against the receiver on opening day.
“We’re going to see when the game comes but right now I’m not even thinking about it. We lost, I don’t know what it was but I didn’t like it,” Bradberry concluded.
How Bradberry responds to the looming holding call will be a big storyline going into the 2023-24 season. If he can continue to act like the consummate professional he’s been though, the team should be in good shape at cornerback again.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
