Eagles legend Brian Dawkins reflects on the Rose Parade, Brandon Graham's career
Eagles legend Brian Dawkins reflects on the Rose Parade, Brandon Graham's career
This week, Touchdown Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Pro Football Hall of Famer and Philadelphia Eagles legend Brian Dawkins.
In his interview with Easton Jr., Dawkins recapped his representation of Boehringer & Lilly's "It Takes 2" health initiative at the Rose Parade earlier this year, spreading awareness about the importance of getting tested for kidney disease, and shared his thoughts on the retirement announcement of long-time Eagles standout Brandon Graham.
"It's tremendous. It was a lot bigger than I thought, like, you think it's one way because you see it on TV. Still, you're a part of it, and to be on one of the floats, and so that part of it was much more expansive than I thought." said Dawkins. "I had an image of what I thought it would be, but when I saw it, I was like, you guys gotta be kidding me, like, there are the people they drive down, travel down, just for this experience. Get up early in the morning to come out and watch these floats go by. It's not something that I ever thought I would be a part of. I thought it was something I would always watch from a distance, but to be a part of it was such a blessing. So it's great. I thank Boehringer & Lilly for letting me be a part of it."
Dawkins, whose parents have conditions that put them at greater risk, rode the "It's In Your Hands: It Takes 2" CORE Kidney float alongside Thelma, a patient advocate living with kidney disease, and Dr. Anjay Rastogi, M.D., PhD, Director of the CORE Kidney Program and Professor and Clinical Chief of Nephrology at the UCLA Health's David Geffen School of Medicine.
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham announced his retirement after 15 seasons with the franchise, including two Super Bowl victories. Dawkins opened up about his career and legacy in Philadelphia, including his famous strip-sack of Tom Brady to win Super Bowl LII.
"I'm excited for him. The way his career started, coming out of Michigan, he was considered a bust by many individuals at the time. If you look at where he was in the first two years, you could see why they would say that," said Dawkins. "But here's the thing, he changed his mindset. He changed how he looked at life, approached the game of football, and changed into a completely different person, and so that's the Brandon Graham that we see now."
"The smiling assassin is what I call him. He is always chirping and smiling. But he would handle his business if you got too close to him. It will forever be in the lore of Philadelphia that he will be forever known for the sack because that was it," said Dawkins, "That was the sack in the Super Bowl to win it all and strip Tom Brady. He will be forever known for that, and so there are growing young people who'll grow up wanting to have that type of career, to win two Super Bowls and then win one out the door, like, that's how we all would have loved to have done it, and he did it."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
26 minutes ago
- USA Today
Retired Patriots WR believes he could return to NFL at new position
Retired Patriots WR believes he could return to NFL at new position If given the time to make the transition, former New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan believes that he could make an NFL comeback as a punter. Hogan, 37, worked in as a backup punter in college. So he has the legitimate skill to play the position. But could he do it at the NFL level? He seems to believe so. 'I can kick the ball. To this day, I believe I could've lasted in this league as a punter," Hogan said on the Patriots Report with Price & Hogan. "I promise you I could've. My confidence level of my athletic ability is far beyond probably a lot of other people's are. I was a punter in college, I was a backup punter in college.' Patriots fans didn't know Hogan for his kicking skills as much as they knew him for his receiving abilities. The two-time Super Bowl champion racked up 107 receptions for 1,651 yards and 12 touchdowns in three seasons with New England. His best year came in 2016, when he caught 38 passes for 680 yards and four touchdowns. It would be quite the comeback if Hogan returned as a punter. One would have to imagine he has the connections to get a look if he's serious. It would be incredible to see the wide receiver come out of retirement. There's no doubt that he is a solid all-around athlete, and his past experiences would undoubtedly work to his benefit. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Raiders Insider Leaves Door Open for Veteran CB Addition
Raiders Insider Leaves Door Open for Veteran CB Addition originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Las Vegas Raiders welcomed a new regime of Pete Carroll and John Spytek this offseason. This tandem made several changes to last year's four-win roster, but perhaps no position group was overhauled as much as the secondary. Advertisement Not only did the Raiders part ways with cornerback Nate Hobbs and safeties Tre'Von Moehrig and Marcus Epps during free agency, but the team waived cornerback Jack Jones as well. While Las Vegas did sign Eric Stokes on the open market and use a third-round pick on Darien Porter during the 2025 NFL Draft, this is still a largely unproven group heading into the season. Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (0).Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images 2023 fourth-round pick Jakorian Bennett showed signs of being a true No. 1 corner last season, but he is still staving off an injury this summer. 2024 fourth-round pick Decamerion Richardson was shaky during his rookie campaign as well. Advertisement The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore recently answered questions about the state of the team's cornerback group. He pointed out that the Raiders may still look to add to this room before the season. "Don't rule out the Raiders adding to this (cornerback) group, either," Bonsignore wrote. "Cornerback seems like the most likely spot the Raiders would add at." Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey has been the most commonly floated name for the Raiders this offseason, but it would take a draft pick to pry him from Miami. His contract situation is also less than desirable over the next few years and it is unlikely the team wants to spend so much money on an aging player. Former Charger Asante Samuel Jr. has also been a candidate for the Raiders to sign, but his physical characteristics do not align with what Pete Carroll typically wants for his outside cornerbacks. Perhaps the team would add him in hopes of transitioning him into the slot. Advertisement 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore is still a free agent, as are notable veterans James Bradberry and Mike Hilton. Look for any of these players to be in the cards for the Raiders if injuries or underperformance plague the team through training camp. Related: Raiders Reportedly Using Ashton Jeanty in Unique Role at OTAs Related: Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Reveals Why He Joined Raiders This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Charlie Batch Happy Steelers' Will Howard Learning From Bench
Charlie Batch Happy Steelers' Will Howard Learning From Bench originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch knows a thing or two about backing up a Canton-bound quarterback. He spent nine years backing up Steelers icon Ben Roethlisberger and ultimately watched him win a Super Bowl. Advertisement As such, he has a perspective that sixth-round quarterback Will Howard could use after Thursday's news. Pittsburgh finally ended its quarterback drama by signing veteran Aaron Rodgers on a one-year deal that is as much about redemption as it is saying goodbye. With a playoff-ready roster and an esteemed head coach, the organization has the talent to give Rodgers one more shot at playoff contention. On 'Up & Adams,' the former Steelers quarterback was happy to see Howard sitting, primarily because it eliminates the pressure of expectations. Batch spoke to Kay Adams before Rodgers put pen to paper. "They want to make sure he is learning from the pocket first and then from there allow everything else to kind of materialize," Batch said. "There's not a lot of pressure on Will at this particular point, and that's the one thing that he has an advantage of. Because all he has to do is put his head in the playbook, go out there and get the job done, where everybody else is being talked about." Advertisement With Mason Rudolph atop the depth chart before the Rodgers signing, there was a real chance that Howard would see playing time in 2025. Pittsburgh has been able to churn out competent teams with bottom-barrel quarterbacking before, but thrusting Howard into a starting role with playoff expectations would be harsh. Now, Howard can comfortably embrace his role as the third quarterback while soaking up all he can from one of the game's smartest quarterbacks. Batch suggested that in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's offense, Howard is a promising fit, given his proclivity for helping in the run game. "We know the mindset of Arthur Smith," Batch said. "He wants to run the football, and sometimes the quarterback has to pull the ball down on some designed runs that you actually have to use your legs and get the job done. So those are things that are gonna play itself out, but that's kind of down the line." Advertisement The Steelers seem to be gearing up for a franchise quarterback in 2026. But with a year of experience and a season's worth of seasoning from Rodgers, Howard could find himself with the upper hand in a quarterback competition next season. Related: Rodgers To Face Former Team with Shot at History Related: Inside How Much Aaron Rodgers Signing Helps Steelers' Bottom-5 'Triplets' Ranking This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
