Eagles’ T.J. Edwards on facing the Bears in his hometown of Chicago: ‘It’s a business trip.’

Throughout the season, The Inquirer’s Eagles reporters will compile a weekly report on what they’re hearing and seeing from inside the locker room at the NovaCare Complex.

Growing up from his native Lake Villa, Ill., T.J. Edwards adored the Chicago Bears as a youth. The Eagles starting linebacker starred as a quarterback and safety at Lakes Community High School, while emulating his game after storied franchise linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs.

When asked about the team’s upcoming Week 15 contest against the Bears at Soldier Field, Edwards wore a stoic face while he labeled the game as a “business trip.”

The fourth-year linebacker has emerged as a key piece within one of the NFL’s top defenses. Edwards wears the green dot on his helmet on game days, serving as the team’s defensive communicator in the huddle. Edwards leads the team in tackles by a large margin with 115. Next closest is fellow starting linebacker Kyzir White (79).

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Earlier in the week, Edwards spoke to The Inquirer about his upcoming homecoming. The interview has been edited lightly for clarity.

Tolentino: What are some of your most favorite memories growing up in the Chicagoland area?

Edwards: “Man, it’s just a really cool city. I spent a lot of time growing up watching all of their sports teams. I was surrounded by that my entire life. It’ll be great to go back and see some family. My parents moved out of my childhood home. They’re down in Fort Myers, Fla., now. But I still have a handful of cousins living in the city. At the end of the day, I’m there for a reason. It’s a business trip. I can enjoy all that fun stuff in the offseason [Edwards maintains an offseason residency in nearby Milwaukee]. I’m going into Chicago with the mindset of getting the win.”

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Tolentino: How’d you end up attending University of Wisconsin?

Edwards: “I was actually committed to Western Michigan. I was committed to them for quite some time. Then Wisconsin came at me pretty late in the process. I ended up recommitting to Wisconsin around December of my senior year, it was about one month before the official signing day. It was pretty wild. But I saw it as an opportunity to be close to home, close to the Chicago area. It was about 1½ hours from my hometown. My mom really liked that a lot. Having those short drives, being able to go home whenever I wanted to. Being able to lay in my own bed, be around family, those are things you cherish being close to home. My family was able to make it to most of my games. That meant the world to me and my family, as well. I wouldn’t have changed anything. Definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

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Tolentino: How did you handle changing positions from quarterback to linebacker in college?

Edwards: “I honestly always liked the physical aspect of the game. I just love being in the middle of things. So going from being in the middle of the offense to full-time defense, it really wasn’t too much different. It was more so learning the techniques and different scheme-related things. Linebacker felt like a natural fit for me because of how physical I want to be when I’m on the field.”

Tolentino: You’ve brought that physicality to this defense. What have you noticed about your performance, specifically over the past two seasons under defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon?

Edwards: “I feel more confident. There’s something to be said about being in the same system and scheme for consecutive years, but honestly, there’s just more confidence in my game. I’m always going to have that humble, underdog, undrafted mindset. But I know I can play this game at a really high level. I’m just trying to ball-out every Sunday.”

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Tolentino: Let’s end on a fun one – any favorite food spots you’re trying to hit up this weekend?

Edwards: “Oh, man. Portillo’s is a classic. Gotta get the Italian beef. Hmm, Chicago is known for its pizza. Pizano’s is actually my favorite. I’ll see if I can stick a slice in on the way back or maybe order some for delivery. There’s just so much good food out there.”