PHILADELPHIA – Some context is needed.
Yes, Philadelphia Eagles legend Jason Peters called Philly fans “(expletive) idiots” when talking to reporters who covered the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday.
But the perennial Pro Bowl left tackle during his 12 seasons with the Eagles from 2009-20 meant it in the most endearing way possible, as the rest of the quote indicates:
“They know that,” Peters continued. “They pride themselves on being nasty, vulgar. … They’re going to cuss at you. They’re going to throw stuff. They pride themselves on that, so they know that. Philly fans are the wildest fans out there to me. “
Peters, who’s 40 years old, and now playing left guard for the Cowboys, will experience that for the first time as a member of the Eagles’ most heated rivals.
So, he knows.
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And so does Eagles center Jason Kelce, who told Audacy’s SportsRadio 94WIP on Thursday: “When he calls Philly fans ‘(expletive) idiots, it’s in a very complimentary fashion. He is a huge fan of the Philadelphia fan base, I know that for a fact.”
And the Eagles’ offensive linemen are huge fans of Peters.
Kelce, for example, took 3½ minutes when he was asked later Thursday the best thing that he learned from Peters. That included a 10-second pause so Kelce could gather his thoughts.
Then Kelce began: “I think JP probably had the best, like, feel for the game than anyone I’ve ever played with.”
Kelce used an example about preparing to face the Minnesota Vikings in 2016, who came into that game at 5-0. The Eagles’ coaches were focused on stopping edge rusher Everson Griffen.
“He would look at things that other guys just wouldn’t look at,” Kelce said. “Everyone was dialed in, like, ‘Hey, we gotta stop Everson Griffen.’ And three plays into watching film, JP was like, ‘Hey, don’t sleep on 99 now. Don’t sleep on this guy over here. He might be the one that’s going to give us more fits.'”
That was Danielle Hunter, who was early in her second season. He would go on to have 12½ sacks that season. But against the Eagles, neither he nor Griffen had a sack, and the Eagles, behind rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, beat the Vikings 21-10.
“(JP) knew, just from watching a couple of snaps, how (Hunter) moved, how he used his hands, little things,” Kelce said. “I think in the offensive line room, you end up getting caught up in looking at structure and scheme and technique and all these things, and he was able to just pick it out, out of the blue.
“And that’s kind of how he approached being in this building. It’s how he approached relationships. He was very much just like a presence.”
Peters spent the 2021 season with the Chicago Bears. He was unemployed until late this summer when Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith suffered a torn hamstring muscle that is expected to keep him out until late in the season. Peters, however, has rotated in at left guard with Dallas.
He missed the Cowboys’ game last week against the Rams but proclaimed himself ready to go against the Eagles.
And that, more than anything, will take some getting used to.
“It’s (expletive) real weird,” Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson said. “The first time I saw (Peters in a Cowboys uniform), just being here for so long and going to a division rival, that’s how the NFL works. Definitely miss seeing him in the midnight green.
“There aren’t many 40-year-old guys playing in the league, so respect, man. All the respect.”
And in his vulgar remark, Peters feels the same way about Eagles fans.
Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Cowboys’ Jason Peters calls Eagles fans ‘idiots’ – as a compliment