With the Eagles’ season just a few days away, it was finally announced who this year’s team captains were going to be. Captains are voted upon by their teammates and are representative of how their peers view their leadership, work ethic, and dedication both on and off the field. For the 2023 season, there are a tot of team captains, with some fans would expect and some surprises.
Eagles name 9 captains ahead of 2023 season
4 of the 9 captains are the so-called elder statesmen of the team, all having been with the club for 10 or more years. Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham have all been instrumental in the team’s success in winning games on the field and building the Eagles culture off the field. Not many teams have a leadership group that has remained intact and this important for so long.
For the 3rd year in a row, Jalen Hurts has been voted a team captain. This should be expected of Hurts at this point, because even with those 4 previous players, Jalen is the ultimate leader of this team. His calm and collected demeanor rubs off on his teammates and keeps them from getting too high or too low. He is as steady as they come and backs all of this up with his infield play. He seems to be wise beyond his years and can connect with everyone to make the team a cohesive group with 1 common goal, winning.
Jake Elliot and Darius Slay also are returning captains. Elliot may be the most respected kicker in the NFL, as he is extremely well-liked in the locker room and is often regarded as maybe the best overall athlete by his teammates. As for Slay, this is his second year in a row being voted a team captain. Last year he was very candid about how much the honor meant to him since he had never voted as a captain at any level of football before. He is an important voice on and off the field and has grown into his leadership position since coming to Philadelphia.
Two surprising names make their captaincy debut
Rounding out the list are DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown. Both are first-time captains and it comes as a bit of a surprise. Smith is often seen as the quiet type, but since coming to Philly from Alabama, has grown more into this role. He has become a pillar of the team’s offense and has accepted more responsibility in leading as his role has expanded.
Brown has also done nothing but impresses since he got to Philly. He broke records on the field last year and is making an impact in the locker room as well. These 2 players could become jealous of each other because they play the same position and could want more targets, but they have done the opposite and embraced each other. That is representative of the Eagles’ culture and is probably a big reason why they were chosen as captains.
