Special team players get rewarded
20 November 2016 Eagles News
Over the past couple of years, which side of the ball has been the best for the Eagles? Would you say it’s the offense?The offense under Chip Kelly had it’s moments but was ultimately a disaster. Even though the offense hasn’t been too fun to watch, I believe they’ve improved from last year. So what about the defense? The defense under Jim Schwartz has been improved significantly but under Billy Davis it was, again, a disaster. So that leaves us with special teams. Even under Chip Kelly, the Eagles special teams have been a huge assets for the birds and has even won them a few games (like the one in New England last year). You have to give a lot of credit to special teams coordinator Dave Fipp for doing a great job of coaching these guys and giving them an opportunity to reach their full potential. Donnie Jones, Chris Maragos, and Jon Dorenbos have ultimately earned their new 3-year contracts.
Donnie Jones aka Mr. Donnie Long Ball has been a very solid punter over the past few seasons. Even during the Chip Kelly days where he had to punt like 8-10 balls a game (well maybe it wasn’t that much, but he still had to punt the ball a lot) he still was able to manage to pin the opponent back in a spot where the defense can manage to make a stop. Not only that but Donnie is just an overall solid dude and is a great guy to have in the locker. Even though Donnie is getting older, I am still glad we locked him up for another 3 years.
The majority of Eagles fans knew who Jon Dorenbos heading into the summer where he competed in Americas Got Talent. His amazing magic tricks and his incredible journey in his childhood ultimately won the hearts of most, if not, all Americans. Jon is truly a class act guy, and is another great guy to have in the locker room. He’s even the host on some of the Eagles mini shows that they have on the Eagles app. But Dorenbos isn’t just a great guy, he’s also a great football player. He’s been to 2 pro bowls and is the anchor of the Eagles line on special teams. You never see a bad snap from him and you rarely see a block punt or field goal by the special teams line. With the signing of Jon Dorenbos, he continues to be longest tenure Eagles, and I believe he’s now the longest tenure player in the city of Philadelphia.
When the Eagles signed Chris Maragos back in the 2014 offseason, it seemed like they hit a home run. 3 seasons later he hasn’t disappointed. In my opinion he is the unsung captain of the special teams unit. He’s made a bunch of big plays whether if it was big tackles, block punts, or even fumbles, Chris Maragos has arguably have been the best player on the special teams unit. Along with his great play on special teams, he’s even played safety and has made some solid plays on the defensive side of the ball as well. Chris Maragos is one of the most unappreciated players on the Eagles and deserves more recognition for his play. With this extension, it shows that the Eagles have really appreciated his play and are giving him the recognition he deserves.
No one really talks about the impact of special teams, but it is an important part in the game of football as well as the Eagles success. They made a statement this week with signing these players and saying that special teams do matter, and we’re going to resign some of our biggest factors on that side of the ball.
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